The Dramas of Holidaying with Angel!
by aurorstar18
Summary: Angel says he wants to get away, but Collins misinterprets. What happens next?
1. I want to get away

**Chapter One – I want to get away**

"Collins, baby, it's so boring here!" Angel whined, making coffee.

"Well find something to do, go shopping, join a club... anything..."

"I've been into all the shops, and what club is going to want a drag queen in it?"

"A club for drag queens?"

"Tom," Angel pouted, " Can't we move?"

He laughed.

"What's funny?"

"I earn teachers wages Angel, which translates into very little. We're struggling to pay the electricity bills let alone being able to move." Collins packed his lunch into his bag and kissed Angel on the top of the head.

"So we can't move?"

"I'm afraid not... I'm sorry..."

"No, I didn't really expect you to say yes... But it was fun to hope."

"I love you... hey... you just want to get away, right?"

"Yeah... away from all the smog and the city..." She sighed.

"I have an idea... I have to go! Bye sweetie!" Collins pulled Angel in and kissed her hard on the lips before letting go of him and rushing out of the apartment, leaving Angel standing stunned and dazed in the middle of the room.

She shook her head, fluffed her wig, straightened her skirt and picked up the phone.

There were only four numbers she'd memorised: Collins work, the mexican food place in the city, the beauty parlour and Mimis place.

She dialled.

Mimi answered: "Hello?"

"Hey chica!" Angel said, checking her nails.

"Hey Angel, whats up?"

"Nothing much at all... I'm so bored! Are you alright? You sound tired!"

"I'm fine... better than fine... Its just, me and Roger had a big night last night... and I'm still sorta tired..."

"You mean you..."

"Mhmm."

Angel let out a high-pitched squeal.

"Glad to see someones happy for me!"

"Who isn't honey?"

"Mark... he was being weird this morning... said he heard us having a good time last night... Is he jealous?"

"Oh honey... Mark is lonely... we all have a partner, and I think he feels a bit left out."

Mimi sighed.

"Hey, you wanna go to the life for lunch?"

"We have the money for that?"

"My shout!"

"No Angel! You paid last time!"

"You'll have more money when you get that job... until then, I am paying!"

"Are you sure... because I could..."

"No!"

"Fine, meet you outside your building in fifteen."

Angel hung up the phone and put on her coat. She rushed downstairs to meet Mimi.

Once they were seated at the Life Cafe, they had a chance to really catch up.

"Have I asked how you and Collins are going?" Mimi asked, examining the menu.

"Not since yesterday..."

"Oh... well how are you and Collins going?"

"Good, better than good... Great! But I think he's up to something!"

"Like what? Because if he's doing anything wrong by you I swear I'll..."

"Mimi! No, nothing like that! I asked him if we could move this morning and he said we don't have the money..."

"Well who does?It's fair enough..."

"But then he said he had an idea and rushed out of the building."

"Ooh! I think I know!"

"What?"

"I think he's planning something romantic for you!"

"Like in a hotel or something?" Angels face lit up and she smiled.

"Well... yeah!"

"We don't have the money for that!"

"You know Collins! Where theres a will theres a way!"

Angel smiled and nodded. It was true... Collins could do anything if he put his mind to it!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

That evening, Collins entered the apartment to find Angel sitting on the sofa wearing mens clothing. His immediate thoughts were that something had happened.

"Honey! Are you alright?" Collins said, dropping his bag and rushing to Angels side.

Angel looked at him like he was crazy, "Of course... why wouldn't I be?"

"You're in sweatpants and a T-shirt... wheres the mini and fur coat I left you in this morning?"

"Its not easy to walk around in platform heels and mini skirts all day! I'm relaxing!"

"I did always say you were completely crazy!'"

Angel rolled his eyes and patted the seat next to him.

"What were you saying this morning begore you had to rush off?" He said.

"Oh! Yeah! I have a suprise for you!"

"A suprise?"

"You said you wanted to get away... well, we're going camping!"

Angel tried to be grateful and excited, he really did. The thing was, angel had never really been a camping kind of guy, or girl for that matter, he'd always been the sit at home, shopping, don't break a nail kind of guy, ever since he was a teenager.

"Thats... great! Absolutely fabulous!" Angel smiled and Collins completely missed the fact that each word was dripping with sarcasm and smiled widely.


	2. Watch Me!

**Chapter Two – You can't climb mountains in Platform heels!**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, only the plot.**

_Hey Guys! Thanks for the great reviews! This is my first Rent fic and I was a little afraid that people wouldn't like it. Anyways, heres the second chapter, and I decided to experiment with Angel a little, because in a lot of other Fics I've read, Angel is always strong and really secure, but I decided to try something different. Tell me what you think in your reviews... and don't hesitate to tell me you hate it, because I really want peoples honest feedback!_

Three days later, after Collins had called to invite Maureen, Joanne, Mark, Mimi and Roger along on their camping trip, Angel was packing her bag.

"So what will we be doing on this camping trip?" Angel said. After a bit of thought and deliberation, she was used to the idea, and wasn't so scared about it.

"Mountain Climbing, walking alot, swimming, heaps of other stuff..." Collins winked.

"With the others around! Collins! I don't believe you!"

"hey hey hey! What are you doing?" Collins said as angel put a pair of black platforms in her bag.

"Packing!"

"Platform heels?"

"Yes! What else am I going to wear on my feet?"

"Sneakers!"

"Ew!"

"Angel! You can't climb mountains in platform heels!"

"Watch me!"

"Angel Dumott Shunard! You cannot climb a frigging mountain in platform heels!"

"Tom!" Angel whined.

"Pack your sneakers!"

"Fine!"

Angel threw a pair of sneakers into her suitcase and huffed angrily.

"Angel honey?"

"What Collins?" She snapped.

Collins backed away a bit. It was obvious that Angel was very, very angry with him. All he wanted to know was why.

"Uh... I know you're a little mad at the moment. But..."

"Collins, let it go."

"I just wanna..."

"I said let it go!"

"Angel I want to know what I did-"

"COLLINS! LET IT GO!"

Collins stormed out of the bedroom and into the kitchen to make himself a cup of very strong coffee.

'If she was a real woman I could understand, PMS and all... but he's not a real woman!"

"Collins! I heard that!"

"So what?" he called back.

Angel sighed loudly and went to sit next to Collins.

"Hey honey." She said.

"Angel." Collins replied curtly.

"I'm sorry, I'm just a bit scared about this trip and all... and I'm trying to be myself, even though I'm scared, but its hard to be Angel when... Well I think you get it."

"You mean to telll me, that you've never been scared before?"

"No... Of course not! Of course I've been scared before, but not like this."

"What's the difference?"

"The difference is that... I've never been scared of losing you before."

"Why are you afraid of losing me?"

Angel put her head in her hands and covered her face.

"Because I've never been camping before, and I'm sort of scared that if you see me all, well, clueless... then you won't like me anymore."

Collins actually laughed.

"Angel," Collins put his arm around her, "You're never going to lose me..."

"Promise?" She looked up at him.

"I promise!"

Angel smiled and got up.

"Lets get packing!"

"Sure!" Collins followed Angel into the bedroom again.

"Now, how about taking those platforms out of your bag."

"Nice try Baby!"

"Come on... you're not going to need them."

"Hell yes I am!"

Collins sat down on the bed and maassaged his temples. This was going to be a long two weeks.


	3. Are We There Yet?

**Chapter 3 - Are We there Yet?**

**Disclaimer: Hey, I own none of this... it all belongs to Jonathan Larson **

_So I hope you guys liked the second chapter. Heres where it starts to get really messy! Again, If you have any problems with this whatsoever, mention it in a review and I'll do my best to fix it. Oh and one more thing! I am going to apologise for all of the gross mistakes with American terms here... I am not american, I am australian... so I apologise. Whoa! Two updates in one day is a record for me!_

XXXXX

"Come on Angel! YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR HAIRDRYER!" Collins called up the stairs.

"Why not?" Angel called back.

"Oh... I don't know... PERHAPS YOU COULD PLUG IT INTO A TREE!"

Angel sighed loudly and dragged her bulging bag down the stairs and onto the street. She hoisted it into the back of the four wheel drive collins had borrowed and got into the front seat.

"So we'll go to Roger and Marks' first to pick up them and Mimi." Collins said, getting into the drivers seat.

Roger, Mark and Mimi took a long time getting Roger to part with his guitar, in the end resorting to dragging him out by his arms. Mimi stood on his foot in a stiletto heel to make it easier to drag him, as he was holding his foot in agony.

Once they had gotten Roger buckled into the car (Still complaining to Mimi about his foot), Mimi and Mark sat either side of him.

"Onto Joannes place!" Angel said.

Joanne lived not to far away, it took about five minutes to drive there.

When they arrived, Joanne and Maureen were standing on the sidewalk, arms around each other.

"Thank god they're not arguing!" Angel said quietly to the people in the car who all shared a small laugh before Joanne opened the car door.

"Hey guys! How are you?" She grinned.

Everyone nodded their replyand Collins got out to help Joanne and Maureen put their bags in the trunk.

Collins got back in.

"Before you Pookie!" Maureen said, winking.

Joanne sighed and got into the back, followed by Maureen.

"And we're off!" Collins said and sped off down the road.

XXXXX

"Pookie, I'm bored!" Maureen whined.

"Mo! You promised you wouldn't start on that!"

"But it's true!"

They were driving down a very very long straight road. It was alright when they were in the city, Maureen could point and laugh at badly dressed people on the street and wink and wave at people as they drove past, but now that they were just driving past miles and miles of fields and farms, there was nothing for anyone to do, and all of them were decidedly bored, although none were game enough to say it.

"Well, I'm afraid theres gonna be at least another three hours of this." Collins said, switching on the radio.

"Ugh... I hate this song Collins!" Angel said.

Collins changed the station.

"Ew! This song is terrible!" Joanne said, wrinkling her nose.

Collins sighed loudly and changed the station yet again.

Maureen began singing at the top of her lungs.

"For the good of all of us and our ears I'm changing the station one last time!" Collins said and changed the station.

Maureen stopped singing and glared at him.

On the radio came a song that everyone except Mimi liked.

"What'd wrong with this song Mimi? Even I like it!" Roger said. It was the first thing he'd said since they'd got in the car six hours ago. He'd still been mad about having to leave his guitar behind.

"I had to dance to this song once... In the club... it gets sorta repetitive after dancing to it for six nights straight."

Mimi put up with it though and ssoon enough the song was finished. Maureen was haaving a good time dancing in the back to all the songs that came on the radio and everyone else was having fun watching her.

But two hours later, everyone was bored again.

"Are we there yet?" Maureen said quietly, staring out the window. It was beginning to get dark.

"No, about an hour to go." Collins said, rubbing his eyes.

"Are we there yet?"

"Maureen! Please don't start! Not now!"

"Are we there yet?" Maureen ignored Collins plea completely.

"Maureen! I never want to hear those words out of your mouth for the rest of this trip!"

"'Kay." She said and nudged Joanne.

"Are we there yet?" Joanne giggled, very out of character for her. She was deleriously happy. Her and Maureen hadn't had a fight in about a week.

"Joanne!" Collins whined.

"Are we there yet?"

"Stop it! You too Joanne! Nothing more from you either!"

Joanne shrugged and tapped Mark on the shoulder. Mark nodded.

"Collins, are we there yet?" Mark said monotonously.

"MARK!" Collins yelled.

"Are we there yet?"

"Shut your mouth camera boy!"

Mark smiled and tapped Roger on the shoulder who shook his head.

"Come on!" Mark mouthed.

Roger sighed: "Are we there yet?"

Collins started humming to himself.

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

"I'm not listening!"

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

Collins let out a yell of frustration.

"Are we there yet?" Mimi said, smiling innocently.

"no."

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"MIMI!"

"Okay, Okay, I'll shut up."

they drove in silence for a few minuted, Angel grinning like a fool.

"Honey?" She said, straightening her skirt.

"Are we there yet?"


	4. Angel, superhero in a mini

**Chapter Four: Angel, Superhero in a mini!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rent! **

_I hope you liked the last chapter! This ones going to be a bit less pleasing as the others because I have the chapter plan all set out and this is not one of the more funny ones. I hope you enjoy ayways. Oh and one of the lines in here is for _kawaii-peach14, _because I thought the line they suggested was so cute and I could just imagine a scene like that one in my head! I had Angel living in Tent City when he first got kicked out of home. I haven't seen the show and I can't find a script anywhere that I don't have to download, so I'm going on what I know from the movie. So there you go! Any criticism, review, and thanks to the people who have done so already! I really appreciate it!_

Finally Collins pulled the car up to the campsite. It was around nine at night and they were all wondering how they were going to get the tents up with only one little light. Angel sighed and leant against the car. It felt good to stretch her legs.

"Right people. We have three tents. Someones going to need to have three people." Joanne said.

"Well, I'm alone with Angel if that makes it any easier." Collins said, grinning and looking at Angel.

"Well, no, it doesn't really."

"Oh, and I'm alone with Roger!" Mimi called from the other side of the campsite, where she was lighting a cigarette, "Alone... hear me?"

"Well Markie!" Maureen said, draping her arm over Marks shoulders, "I guess you're with us!"

"Thats... brilliant." Mark sighed. He didn't like to admit it to himself but he still had a teensy, tiny little crush on the Drama Queen. He didn't like to admit it to himself though, or anyone else for that matter.

"Well lets get the tents up then... or rather, why don't you and Roger and Mark go and put up the tents while me, Mo, Mimi and Joanne go over there and talk about girl stuff!"

"Honey, you're hardly a 'girl' enough to talk about 'girl stuff'."

"Thomas Collins! Take that back!"

"Okay, I take it back! But you have to help us put up the tents."

"No way! Hell no!"

Angel pranced over to where Mimi, Maureen and Joanne were sitting in a circle.

Fifteen minutes later Roger staggered over to them.

"Come on, one of you has got to help us!" He panted.

Mimi looked around, "Oh you mean one of us?"

"Yes I mean one of you!"

"Well, no... I don't think so!"

"Fine, COLLINS! THEY WON'T HELP!"

Another fifteen minutes later Angel pranced over to the group of men who were now in the middle of an argument.

"This pole goes here! Look at the instructions!" Mark shouted, throwing the instruction booklet down at Rogers feet.

"Idiot! Thats this pole!" Roger held up another pole and brandished it in Marks face.

"Look, both poles are going up your as-" Collins began.

"Hey! Hey hey! Okay! I think we all need to go and sit apart for a while. Roger, go over there with the girls, mark, you go sit over there in the car and listen to the radio and Collins, you sit here while I put up the tents!"

Angel began assembling the tents by herself when-

"ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHH!"

Collins leapt up and ran to Angels side.

"Angel, whats wrong?" Collins rubbed Angels back in small circles. She was clutching her finger and looking slightly mad.

"COLLINS! I broke a nail!" Angel began to sob loudly.

Collins let out a small chuckle.

"Honey, nails grow back!"

"Too slowly!"

Collins sighed and got a bandaid with cartoon characters to put on her finger.

Another ten minutes later, all three tents were up.

"Done!" Angel skipped over to the girls and put on her coat.

Everyone looked up at the three perfectly erected tents standing at the edge of where the trees began. They stood, the flaps blowing back and forwards in the breeze.

"Angel, I thought you said you'd never been camping before." Collins said.

"I haven't. Its common sense honey!"

Collins sighed as Angel ran off towards the tent that was set the furthest away from the rest of the group to set up the 'beds', "This is ours Collins! I put ours here especially... so we won't disturb the others!"

After they had something to eat, Angel and Mimi began a game of Truth or Dare, Maureen and Joanne were too busy making out to join in, and Mark, Roger and Collins sat and drank beer, talking about life, being 'deep and meaningful' as Roger liked to call it.

Hours later, it was three in the morning and Collins heard Angel call out to him. She was headed towards the tent.

"Yo man, I gotta go! My lady needs me!" Collins said and got up.

"Hardly a lady!" Mark sniggered.

"Don't let her hear you say that man, she'd probably put one of those stilettos through your eye or something."

"Yeah... probably.

Collins smiled and took his pajamas out of his bag. All of the bags were under a big tarpaulin that he had brought to cover them with in case it rained.

When he stepped into the tent, Angel was in his pyjamas, his wig beside his sleeping bag and his skirt and fur coat folded neatly above his pillow. His platform shoes were placed neatly at the end of the sleeping bag and Angel was layingacross both his and Collins 'beds'.

"Hey!" Collins said, placing himself next to Angel on the bed.

"How are you?" Angel said in almost a whisper.

"I'm fine... Great... How'd you learn to put up a tent like that?" Collins asked.

"Comes from living in Tent City for a couple of years."

"You lived in tent city?"

"Yup, I sure did!"

"Well that doesn't matter, because you're my superhero in a mini."

Angel smiled and climbed on top of him.

"Ang... its three in the morning... we should get some sleep!"

"More time for sleep later! This now!" Anf he lowered his head and kissed Collins hard. Collins smiled against Angels lips and pulled away.

"Man, You're asking for it!" and Collins looked down at Angel, put his hands up, wiggled his fingers and ticked him.

Angels squeals of mirth echoed into the dark, cold night.


	5. Find Angel

**Chapter Five: Follow the Trail!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rent.**

_Yo guys! This is going really off track for me, so far off my chapter plan that its becoming a different story to what I've got planned, so I'm deciding that I'm just going to let the plan be, and not use it. So from now on, I'm winging it. I have a basic plot, but nothing else... so go easy on me... eek!_

_Thanks for all your awesome reviews! This story is only a couple of days old and I have about 10 reviews, thats a record for me! Thanks guys! I appreciate it heaps! And there was someone who said that there could have been less 'Ha Ha, Angels a guy,' I'm really sorry about that, but its a set up for a sub-plot that I'm going to write later on. I hope you can kinda see past it until I get to that plot if I use it_

"Hey you..." Angel said to Collins, who was just waking up. Angel was already dressed in pink sweatpants and a white jacket. She was wearing the sneakers that Collins had suggested she pack. He smiled.

"What you smiling about?" Angel said, stroking his cheek gently.

"You're wearing sneakers." Collins replied groggily, trying to open his eyes to the harsh morning light. He looked at his watch that he had forgotten to take off. He tried to open his eyes to the harsh _afternoon_ light.

"As per your request... your highness." Angel grinned and lay down beside him. She heard him snore loudly a few minutes later and untangled herself from his arms. She smiled mischeviously and got the spray bottle she used to spray her wigs clean. It was filled to the top with water.

She turned the nozzle to the mist setting and sprayed him. She watched the tiny droplets float down to meet that dark skin of her lover. Collins shivered and Angel supressed a laugh.

"Mom! Turn off the sprinkler!" Collins muttered in his sleep.

Angel glanced at him curiously and sprayed him some more.

"Rog, could you pass me that umbrella?" He muttered. Angel had never seen the talking-in-his-sleep side of Collins before. It made him even more desirable, it made him seem more vulnerable.

Angel chanced one more shower. Suddenly, Collins leapt up, he looked like a worm in his sleeping bag.

"Why is it raining?" Collins said, obviously disorientated.

Angel giggled and held up the spray bottle. Collins scowled at her.

"Angel... Oh man! Look at me! I'm all wet!" He said.

"And the look suits you."

Angel stood up and almost skipped from the tent.

"That girl is going to explode one day... too much energy."

XXXXX

"C'MON GUYS! EVERYONE UP! BREAKFAST!" Angel Bellowed from beside Collins, who covered his ears.

There came numerous incoherant mumblings and curses from inside the two occupied tents.

"IF YOU WANT TO EAT THIS MORNING, I SUGGEST YOU GET YOUR ASSES OUT OF BED BEFORE I GO AND THROW THIS FANTASTIC FEAST OF BACON AND EGGS IN THE LAKE!" Angel yelled again. Collins smiled at Angel, and then looked at the big pot of lumpy looking porridge before both of them.

Maureen was the first one out of her tent, still wearing pajamas with teddy bears on them, her hair pulled up into a loose bun. She skidded to a halt in front of Angel.

"Hey, this is not bacon and eggs." She scowled, "Which means I got out of bed for lumpy porridge?"

"You sure did!" Angel smiled and nodded.

Mark followed about a minute after Maureen. He was dressed and Angel suspected he had been that way for a fair while, he just didn't want to be the first one up.

"Wheres breakfast?" He mumbled.

"Hey Markie, whats wrong?" Maureen said.

"Didn't sleep well, thats all."

"Why not?"

"Its a bit hard to sleep when you and Joanne were... oh never mind." Mark went to the pot of porridge and got himself a bowl.

"Good Morning all!" Joanne appeared from behind a clump of trees.

"Hey pookie bear!" Maureen cooed and rushed over to kiss her girlfriend, "Where have you been?"

"Oh, I went for a walk this morning and discovered theres a shower block a few campsites away... so I had a shower!" Joanne replied.

"Oh, thats okay then... have some porridge!" Maureen pointed to the pot and rushed off to get dressed.

"Yeah! Go on Jo!" Collins said.

"Uh, no thanks, I already ate."

"What did you eat?" Angel said.

"An apple."

XXXXXX

"Okay, the aim of the game is to find the person you're assigned by the clues they leave behind... They're in a trail, so all you have to do is follow it... right?" Collins explained the gaame that he and Angel had planned earlier.

"Got it." Mark said, nodding.

"Right, the people hiding are, Angel, Maureen and Roger. Mimi, you have to find Maureen, I have to find Roger, and Mark has to find Angel. Joanne, You're on a team with me."

"okay, cool. Let's do it." Joanne said.

Mark looked around.

Lying on the ground at the base of a tree was a tube of red lipstick. Mark and Mimi both headed for it, and both grabbed it at the same time.

"Mark? What are you doing?" Mimi said, snatching the tube of lipstick from Marks hands.

"This is Angels lipstick! Who else wears that kind of red on their face?"

"Maureen does!"

"I've never seen her in lipstick this red, and believe me Mimi! I know! I dated her!"

"Well, its Maureens, besides, all of Angels stuff has an 'a' on the bottom."

Mark snatched the tube back and turned it over in his hands. No 'A' on either end. Mark frowned and sighed as mimi took the lipstick and skipped off, one step closer to finding maureen.

Mark looked around again. He spotted a piece of paper on the ground. He picked it up and looked at the back. It was marked with an 'A'. Mark sighed in relief. Everyone else was well and truly off looking for their people. Turning it over, Mark realised that it was a photo of a young boy, Teenager at the oldest and realised that it was Angel. He was carrying a few books and had a pen behind his ear. Mark turned it over again. 'Angel Dumott Schunard, Yearbook photo 1967.'

Mark grinned and walked a bit further. Sitting on a rock was a skirt. It was black with pink flowers enbroidered onto it. Mark rushed over and smiled. This had to be Angels. Sure enough, on the tag, there was a small 'A'. Attached to the tag was a piece of paper with Angels writing on it. 'Hey Mark! Well, I thought that you should have to find me so you can find out about me. I know a lot about you (Blame Collins) but I don't think you know me. I think you're a great guy! This was my first skirt I owned! Look at that waist!'

Mark smiled and walked on. He had to search a bit for the next one. It was hidden in a clump of grass next to a treestump. Mark realised that it was meant to be on the treestump. It was a broken hairclip. It was set with purple and pink stones with a white bow in the middle. Mark held it carefully, being careful not to break it more. There was a note on the treestump: 'Can you possibly imagine how mad my father was when he found out his son was gay, and a drag queen at that?'

Mark almost laughed.

He walked on a little bit and found two more items. A brownie uniform and a boyscout uniform. Mark remembered New Years Eve. Angels voice echoed in his ears: "I was a boy scout once, and a brownie! Until some brat got scared." The brownie uniform was normal, not a sign of Angel in it. The scout uniform was somewhat different. Sequins and a purple scarf around the collar. He laughed. The note with it said: "Remember New Years? Proof! Marky, only one more to go and you've found me!"

Mark walked for what seemed like hours, and he didn't even know if he was going in the right direction. He turned a few times and found himself passing a tree and a rock he's already passed twice before.

"Oh shit! I'm lost! Just my luck!" He cursed under his breath.

He heard a laugh from up a tree and looked up.

"You're not lost Marky! You skipped a clue!" Mark jumped and smiled when saw Angel in one of the highest branches in a huge tree.

"Angel! You scared me!"

"Care to join me?" Angel put her hand on the spot next to her and smiled.

"Not too fond of heights!"

"Oh come on!"

Mark sighed and hoisted himself, climbing higher and higher, he refused to look down. He felt a hand on his ankle and saw that he'd climbed way past Angel and she had to reach up to touch his leg to get him to come down.

"Don't like heights huh?" Angel winked.

"I said that-" He rolled his eyes and laughed.

"So, you... uh... liked my photos and clues?" Angel said with a deep sigh.

"Yeah, they told me a lot about you. Not where you were, but you."

"I like the yearbook photo."

"Me too. I... well..."

"Do you wanna know about me... like, before I came here?"

"I think thats what I was trying to ask."

Angel smiled and sighed, "I grew up with a mother and a father, until I was about twelve, when my dad saw me looking in the womens clothing department in a department store. Not only was I looking, I was holding the clothing up to my body. Dad wasn't too phased, but then he saw me tryingon heels at a shoe store and cracked. We had a fight, you know... all that stuff, and I ran away, And I didn't go back for a while."

Mark widened his eyes.

"Oh don't worry! I went home, I just had to deny who I was."

"Was that bitterness I just heard out of your mouth Angel?"

"Yes. It was. So then I decided that I should just accept that my father wasn't going to like the fact that his son liked other boys. So I told them and they were... mostly... okay with it. My father and I had a few fights over it, but mind you, when we fought, it wasn't just a couple of raised voiced moments, it was big... really big. Well then I decided to move away. I was seventeen by this time. I began dressing in womens clothing... Oh, I can't remember when... But I was young-ish... well I had a few bad relationships, and then I met Collins."

Mark smiled.

"Sounds much like my family, only I ran away because they thought I was gay."

"Whats wrong with that?"

"Nothings wrong with being gay, its when people think you're gay when you're not."

Angel nodded and began to climb down from the tree.

"Where are you going?" Mark asked, graspingonto the treebranch, trying to get the nerve to follow Angel.

"We're going to win. You were the first person to find your person you had to find. See? Look over that way," Angel pointed in one direction, "You can see Maureen hiding in that hollow tree, but Mimi is all the way over there." she pointed again, at mimi who was looking around helplessly, hand on her forhead, "And theres Collins and Joanne over that way! Rogers under the bridgein the total other side of the campsite." Angel giggled, "You won Mark!"

_(AUTHORS NOTE: ) What a long chapter! Hopefully I'll begin to write more of this length. Review! _


	6. Lost

**Chapter six : Lost.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Rent... yep.**

_Well I hope you guys liked that last chapter. Any suggestions as to where the story should go would be muchly appreciated. I want feedback and lots and lots of ideas. I want this to be long. Yep. _

The group all got back to the campsite around an hour after Angel and Mark. Angel just looked at Collins as he walked over to them and leant back in her chair. She held out her hand and smirked.

"What are you doing?" Collins said, dropping to the ground to sit down at her feet.

"I believe you owe me three dollars." Angel said, "Pay up."

Collins sighed.

"You know my money, well, hypothetical money, is your money too." Collins said, "Besides, I have no money on me."

"Its the principle Collins!"

Collins shook his head and sighed again. Joanne walked into the campsite and frowned.

About five minutes later, Roger walked into the campsite.

"Where are Mimi and Maureen?" He said, looking worried.

"Oh, I don't know, probably still out looking for each other." Angel said, checking her wig.

"Rog, don't worry man, they'll find their way back here, and if they can't, Maureen will probably start yelling and screaming... then no-one will be able to ignore them." Collins looked up and Angel put her hands on either side of his face. He shot a reassuring smile at Roger before Angel kissed him.

Joanne smiled and said, "Come on Roger, lets go look for them." She took a bottle of water and a box of crackers from her tent and rejoined Roger, ready to look for Maureen and Mimi.

Roger walked ahead into the forest again. He looked back at Joanne and shrugged.

"Where do we start?" He said.

"MAUREEN?" Joanne bellowed.

"MIMI?" Roger followed suit, but nothing happened.

They continued further down the path. A few minutes later, they heard soft crying. Roger looked back at Joanne and went in the direction of the sound. They both saw Maureen sitting with her back against a tree, cradling Mimis torso in her lap. Mimi didn't appear to be moving.

Roger was the first to race over and check Mimis pulse.

"Joanne, its weak... what do we do?" Roger said.

"Maureen? Maureen!" Joanne got Maureens attention, the drama queen was crying too hard to notice they were even there, "What happened to Mimi?"

Maureen looked up and her eyes widened, "Pookie," She whispered, "Something must have bitten her... something... she collapsed in my arms... I don't know... what happened to her?"

"Roger!" Joanne called to Roger, who looked up, "Give her some water!"

Mimi was slowly coming around. She tried to lift her head and saw Roger sitting with her, giving her water.

"Roger..." She slurred, "Roger..."

"Mimi, baby, tell me what happened?" Roger said, putting the water bottle down.

She slowly shook her head and lost conciousness again.

Roger picked her up with little difficulty, how could it be so hard to pick up someone so small like Mimi. Joanne helped Maureen up and they slowly walked back to the campsite.

Collins and Angel were busy together on the chair and Mark was fiddling with his camera when the others came back. Angel was the first to notice. She pulled away from collins, who protested. Angel put her hand up to silence him and he got off her. She stood up and Ran over to Roger, taking Mimi from his arms and laying her on a patch of soft, green grass.

"Mimi?" Angel said, her voice trembling. She'd been through this with Mimi before... she'd shot up and was too out of it to even move her head. Angel was always there, before Roger came along.

Mimi opened her eyes and saw Angel.

"Ang... Angel..." She whispered.

"I'm here sweetie..." Angel storoked her head.

"Something bit me... there was pain... in... in my leg..." Her head rolled to the side.

"She's gone again." Roger said, putting a hand to his forhead.

"We need an ambulance!" Collins got up and looked at Joanne, "Did you see any pay phones when you went exploring?"

Joanne thought for a moment, "Yes, I did!" She took off running in the direction of the toilet block.

"Angel... Come on... let Roger see her." Collins tried to pull Angel away from Mimi.

"Stop Collins, I'm not leaving her! I'm not!" Angel snapped and Collins instantly backed away.

"Hey, she said she felt pain in her leg!" Mark looked closely at both of Mimis legs through her tights. Sure enough, there were two tiny puctures on her right shin.

Joanne came back a few minutes later and doubled over. Her heart was pounding one thousand miles an hour and she couldn't breathe.

"Pookie... are you okay?" Maureen spoke for the first time since they'd found her and Mimi. Her voice was hoarse from crying.

Joanne nodded and said, "The ambulance will be here soon... about ten minutes. We were lucky that theres a hospital not too far away." she panted and got up.

"Mimi honey... Mimi?" Angel kept talking to her, trying to get her to wake up again. Nothing she was saying was working at all.

Angel sat baack on her heels, "Here we go again." She thought.


	7. Conflict

**Chapter Seven: Conflict**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Rent! Not at all!**

_Gah! What drama for our Mimi huh? Lets see whats going to happen next... I'm going to let you guys decide what happens in the next chapters. I have this chapter figured but in the next chapter should they: a) Go back to camping after this chapter, or_

_b) Do something else?_

_Tell me what you think when you review...and by the way, I know nothing about drug overdoses or snake bites, I'm completely on my own with this one... Okay... on we go!_

Flashback

"Mimi? I'm home!" Angel said, dropping the bag of groceries on the table. She heard a faint groan from the bathroom.

"Mimi?" The drag queen said again. She peered into the bathroom but couldn't see past the door. She ran over to the door and pushed on it gently. There was something in the way. Angel pushed on it further, so there was a space just big enough for her to squeeze through. She saw some of Mimis hair spread on the floor and her heart skipped a beat. She knew exactly what was happening, and as soon as Mimi was alright again, she was going to kick her ass.

Angel forced herself through the tiny gap between the wall and the door and got through into the bathroom. What she saw made her feel sick. Mimi was flat on her back, her hair all over the floor, the needle in her hand. Angel sighed and dragged Mimi back so she could open the door and picked her up. She lay her down on the couch and sat next to her, "What have you done to yourself girl?" She stroked her head and Mimi groaned. Her eyes struggled to open and she was having trouble focusing on anything but she could hear Angels voice.

"Angel..." She slurred.

"Yeah, honey... I'm here." Angel got up to call an ambulance.

A few minutes she returned to Mimis side.

"Mimi honey... why are you doing this to yourself?"

Mimi pointed weakly to a piece of paper on the floor near Angels foot. Angel bent to pick it up and saw two words that made her stomach flip: "HIV: Positive."

End Flashback

"Angel... Angel?" Collins voice snapped Angel from her flashback and she sat back in the hard plastic chair. It had been three hours since they had found Mimi and they were still coming back with updates. "I bought you coffee." Collins handed her a cup and sat down beside her.

"I can't believe it! I... this can't be happening!" Angel put her head in her hands and sighed.

"Mr Davis... Miss Marquez is asking for you." The nurse said, waiting for Roger to get up and then leading him through the halls to Mimis room.

"I can't believe this! Why wasn't I let in?" Angel cried.

"Rogers always been there for Mimi, she wanted him." Mark said quietly.

"Mark... I'd take that back if I were you man" Collins whispered.

Angel immediately tensed up. She balled her fists and turned to Mark slowly. Mark shrunk back and hung his head.

"Who was there when Mimi tried to quit the first time?" Angel said, calmly, "It was me, thats who. And who has saved her from killing herself from overdosing more times than I would like to count? Me! And who was with her the day she found out she had HIV? Me, and who was with her..." Angel stopped, "Never mind, but when has Roger been there? Tell me that!"

"You know... Rogers always been there for Mimi to talk to... I guess... she remembers him through all the stuff thats going on with her..." Joanne said. Maureen turned to her and looked at her in shock.

"Are you kidding me? Angels been with Mimi through everything!" She said shrilly.

The whole waiting room errupted in shouts and arguing. It was on. Collins, Angel and Maureen against Mark and Joanne, and of course, Roger.

_Short I know... there will be more excitement to come! Stay tuned! Oh and remember to review with a) or b)!_


	8. Meeting

**Chapter Eight: Meeting**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rent... 'kay?**

_This chapter, things get a little heated, and then its happy happy again! Enjoy!_

The group all sat in silence, no one talked, no one moved, it seemed that no one even breathed. They were all feeling the same way. Confused.

Roger walked back down the hallway towards them. He could sense the tension in the air as he entered the waiting room.

"Hey... uh, guys, you could cut the tension in here with a knife... whats up?" He said.

"Nothing... nothing of your concern." Angel snapped back at him. Collins put a hand on her back and shrugged at Roger. He didn't usually get involved in these kinds of arguments, and he had decided to be neutral... leaning towards Angels side of the argument, naturally.

"Come on, I don't believe you." Roger put his hands on his hips and glared at the group, trying to stare at least one of them into telling him what the hell was going on.

Naturally, Mark was the first to crack, he always was... he could never keep a secret. All that needed to be done to break him was stare him down, or tickle him, and tickling didn't seem to be an appropriate thing to do.

"Well... Angel was upset that Mimi asked for you instead of her." Mark blurted out.

Angel crossed her arms and huffed loudly. Collins rolled his eyes and tried to get her to lighten up.

"Angel honey, you know that Mimi loves you. This is only a little thing. Why risk turning everyone against each other for something as small as this." He said, looking into her deep brown eyes.

"This is not something small Collins. This is big. I've been through this too many times with Mimi. I care about her alot!" Angel sighed and turned away.

Collins followed her direction and kept her gaze.

"I care about her too!" Roger said, crossing his arms.

"Roger, no offense. I like you and all, but you haven't been with Mimi through even half the things I have."

"What the hell do you mean 'no offense,'?"

"Exactly that."

"Angel. I love Mimi, I love her... d'you hear me?"

"So do a lot of people Roger."

"What's that meant to mean?"

"You should be smart enough to at least figure that out!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SMART ENOUGH?"

"there have been plenty of times when Mimi has come to me with her problems, only because you've been too blind or just too damn stupid to figure out that she's upset."

"Angel, I'm busy all of the time."

"WITH WHAT ROGER? PICKING RANDOM CHORDS ON YOUR GUITAR? DRINKING BEER? Sounds like a really busy man to me."

"Angel... that was low..." Collins said in a low voice.

"Just forget it." Angel got up, gently pushed Collins out of the way and walked off down the hall. She stopped at the drink machine and searched in her pockets for money to get a drink. She wasn't really thirsty but she was willing to turn to anything to get her mind off the fight she'd just had with Roger. She liked the guy alot, but the way he treated Mimi sometimes and the way he had just treated her really got on her nerves.

She sat down on some couches a little up the hall and put her head in her hands. She heard footsteps and assumed it was Collins, so she turned away. But the person (She was now sure it wasn't Collins) followed her. She sighed and turned again. The person followed her. She huffed angrily and looked up. She recognised this man. He had blonde hair and brown eyes. Angel stared at him with extreme confusion.

"Angel right?" He said, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Uh... yes. Now I know I know you from somewhere..." Angel replied.

"Yes... from quite a while ago... remember?"

"Sorry, can't say I do."

"Kiran..."

Angels eyes widened. This had just turned into a very awkward situation. Kiran was an ex-boyfriend. A very ex-boyfriend. He was the ex-boyfriend who had refused to call Angel a girl. Even when asked to call her 'she' instead of 'he' he refused, and it ran Angels self esteem into the ground.

"Hey... you look upset Angel... why don't we go and get a drink... you know... talk... between guys?" And apparently he was still the same as he ever was.

"Kiran... how many times do I have to tell you... I refer to myself as a woman... would you do so... you know what... forget it. I have to go." Just as she was walking away, Kiran grabbed her wrist.

"Where you goin' Angel?" He said, in an almost malicious way.

"Uh... back to my boyfriend." Angel wrenched her wrist from his grasp and walked off down the hall, only to have him follow.

She sped up slightly, but could still hear his footsteps over her sneakers. She sighed and broke into a run. She could still hear him. She really didn't want this confrontation, not here, not at all. She looked over her shoulder.

"ANGEL! LOOK OUT!" She heard him call before she collided with something and heard it clatter heavily to the ground.

"Shit." She said.


	9. Revenge

**Chapter Nine: Kidnapped?**

**Disclaimer: Rent Not mine**

_Well Well Well, what kind of a predicament has Angel gotten herself into this time? I still want votes on what should happen because at the moment I'm leaning towards one option. So should they go back to camping or not? _

Angel got up off the floor and looked around. She had collided with a trolley carrying lots of medication and spare blankets. Her nose was bleeding from where she'd hit it on the floor and she was sure she had a bruise on her arm. She brushed herself off, trying to stem the blood with her sleeve.

"Oh my goodness! I am so sorry!" Angel apologised profusely to the nurse who shook her head and smiled: "It happens all the time." Angel helped the nurse right the trolley and then the nurse gave her a tissue for her nose.

Then she remembered why it was she had been running. Her breath hitched in her throat and she tried to steady herself. She saw him sitting on one of the couches where she had been when he found her and sighed in relief. He was no longer following her.

She walked down towards the rest of the group. She was even contemplating apologising to Roger. She had been fairly harsh in what she said to him. But she was still mad, very mad. She caought a glimpse of the group, and could have sworn she saw Collins and Roger talking only a few metres away. It wasn't like Angel to evesdrop but she thought that Collins was on her side. She stood in an alcove, hoping to high heaven that they hadn't seen her. They hadn't. She listened carefully and could just hear the gentle hum of their hushed voices.

"Col... I don't get it." Roger was saying.

"Hey man, she's just freaked out about this whole thing with Mimi, give her time. She'll come 'round."

"Are you on her side?"

"No way man. I think you got a case... but then... she does too... I'm neurtal." Collins put a hand on Rogers shoulder and smiled: "Hey... don't think on it too much. When did the nurse say we could go in and see Mimi?"

Angel tuned out at that stage. She was furious. She couldn't see straight. She had thought that Collins was on her side. Perhaps not. She sighed and decided to get her revenge. She walked the opposite direction and stopped in front of Kiran.

"Hey... how about that drink?" She said, batting her eyelashes.

_Yep... short... but yeah... I know whats going to happen up until about chapter 11. Hehehe, I'm still taking votes._


	10. Dates and Rain

**Chapter Ten: The 'Date'**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rent.**

_Well, this chapter is so named because so many of you reviewed with 'I can't wait to see what happens on the date!' which gave me an idea. So read on... and see what happens... Oh, and speaking of reviews, Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. You guys keep me writing this! (By the way, this chapter might be a bit AU for people who've seen the musical... so yeah... because I haven't seen it... only the movie.)_

Angel took Kirans hand and led him into the stingy bar. It was the only one she could find that was close to the hospital. She wasn't walking too far after all the walking she'd done to hide from Mark. She looked back at him and smiled awkwardly, Kiran was nervous... and confused. She could tell.

They sat down in a booth and Angel ordered them both drinks. She told them she knew the manager. He was an old friend. The waiter nodded and went out the back to get him.

"Hey... why the nervousness?" Angel said, laying a hand on Kirans.

"I thought you said you had a boyfriend?" Kiran put his other hand at the back of his neck.

"I do... but I thought... maybe... we could catch up, you know... between friends." Angel laughed as the manager sidled up to them.

"Angel! Long time no see!" He said, smiling.

"Gerry! Its great to see you!" She said, "This is Kiran."

"I thought you were with Collins?"

Angel coughed, "I am... Kiran... is a friend."

Kiran gave a small wave and looked at his hands.

"Well, drinks are on me tonight." Gerry said, "Angel, I have some things to deal with... some lady's suing us... thinks she found a dead mouse in her fries... keep in touch Ang..."

As Gerry walked away, the door to the bar opened and some familiar people walked in. Joanne first, followed by Roger and Mark, then Maureen and Collins followed. They were talking animatedly... but they looked worried. Angel looked around and picked up the closest thing to hide her face. It was a menu.

"Uh... Why are you hiding?" Kiran said.

"That guy... the one talking to the brunette... yeah... thats Collins, my boyfriend."

"I thought this was a drink 'between friends' huh?"

"It is... I love Collins... I just don't think he'd be too happy."

"Seems to me you feel like you're cheating on him?"

"I am not!" Angel said a little too loudly and slammed the menu on the table. Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at her, including the bohemians. She glanced over at them and saw a look cross Collins' face that she had never seen before when he was looking at her. Pure hurt.

She got up and ran from the bar, not realising that Collins had followed.

It was raining. Big, fat raindops landed on Angels face and stung her skin as she ran.She heard running footsteps behind her and ran faster.

"Angel!" She heard a familiar foice yell over the sound of the rain. She just ran. She didn't stop, not even for him.

The rain continued as Angel stopped in a park, somewhere. By some miracle, or a miracle to Collins, he had managed to keep up with her. She sat down heavily on a bench and put her head in her hands. Collins sat next to her, both soaked to the bone, and wrapped his arms around her. She buried her face in his shoulder. She could tell it was him. He was always going to be there... she knew it.

"Angel... why?" Collins said, choking up. It was painful seeing her with another man.

She lifted her head and sniffed, "Collins, I'm not with him... he was the one who... who gave me AIDS and... I thought... maybe, if I could spend some time with him... on my own... without going crazy... I might have beat it... for a little longer." She sobbed again and buried her head, this time in his chest.

He sighed and rubbed her back. This was just like her. Always trying to prove herself.

It rained and they sat. It rained and they got wet. Angel liked the rain... it was purifying.


	11. Waiting for you

**Chapter Eleven: **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rent.**

_Ahh! This is so cool! My longest fic yet! Thanks to everyone that reviewed. Thanks especially to AngelxCollins for the great reviews, almost every chapter! I hope you guys all like this chapter!_

Angel and Collins went back to the hospital and sat in the waiting room. Everyone else had gone home, as it was about ten at night. Angel wanted to wait and see Mimi.

"Ang... they won't let you in... besides, she's being released tomorrow... then we'll see if we go back out camping or not..." Collins said, massaging his temples.

"But honey... I wanna see her... make sure she's alright."

"Come on... we're going home, then we can come back and pick her up in the morning. I gave the hospital my number to call when they're releasing her."

Angel nodded and they went to th subway station.

"What were you doing with him anyway?" Collins asked and sighed, "You know what? I don't care. I trust you."

Angel felt a pang of guilt... she shouldn't be trusted... not after what she'd done with Kiran. Her intentions were all bad... all wrong, "No, Collins, you have the right to know." She said.

Collins looked at her, brushing water off his clothes, and Angels.

"I wanted to spite you. I heard you talking to Roger... and I got mad, because I thought you were on my side. And then I thought about what he'd done to me, and I thought all the things I told you... about how I thought that if I could spend a while with him without going crazy... I could beat this... But then you waled in, and I started thinking..."

"Angel... you went out with him to spite me?"

Angel nodded. Collins shook his head just as the subway arrived. They got on and sat in silence.

Collins unlocked the door to the apartment and stormed through to the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Angel followed him and banged on the door.

"Collins... come on! Collins! Let me in!" She screamed at him. She heard him sigh in reply.

"Tom," She knew he loved it when she called him Tom, "Tom baby... come out and talk to me!"

"I can't right now!" He replied.

"Why not?"

"Well, I'm just a little hurt that you'd do this to spite me."

"Collins!"

"You know how I felt when I realised it was you with that man in the bar?"

Even though he couldn't see her, Angel shook her head.

"I felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest."

"Honey... you couldn't possibly know what that feels like."

"Well I can imagine now. I thought you loved me."

"I do love you Tom!"

The door opened slowly and Collins walked out.

"If you love me so much... why would you do this?"

"I told you... I thought that if I..."

collins sighed, "I know... look, I know that you are having a hard time at the moment... yes, I've seen you checking all over for lesions and crap like that... please... don't worry... I'll always be here for you... my question is... will you always be here for me?"

Angel wiped her eyes. She was worried. She didn't want to leave her Collins. Not yet. Not at all.

Collins opened his arms. "Hey... Come here... I hate fighting with you." Angel held him tightly and cried into his shirt.

They went to bed after talking for a while. They woke up the next morning in each others arms, and in Collins arms was where she felt the safest. She was always safe there and she never wanted to leave.

"Tom, honey, the hospital called! We have to go!" Angel shook Collins gently, trying to wake him.

"Mrrrph... Angel... I don't wanna..." came the muffled reply at which Angel huffed and pulled the blankets off Collins, who yelled and sat up.

"Where'd the blankets go?"

"Here!" Angel held up the blankets and grinned, while Collins glared.

"Come on... get dressed, We gotta go!"

Angel was already dressed, but quite unusually. He wore jeans and a white shirt.

"Uh... Ang... everything alright?" Collins said, taking his hand.

"Yeah! Of course... uh... Its just, why do I wanna be bothering with drag when I gotta be there for my Mimi?"

Collins knew he was lieing... but he daren't press it too much. He'd ask again later.

He dressed and they went to the hospital. They found Mimi in the waiting room, looking tired, but otherwise okay.

Angel sighed in relief and ran to Mimi, taking her into a hug.

"Argh! Mimi! I was so worried!" Angel saighed into her hair.

Mimi giggled softly and hugged him back.

"Oh... and Roger told me that you were upset that I asked for him... not you..." Mimi said quietly into Angels ear. He pulled away and looked at his feet.

"Roger was here?" He said.

"Yeah..."

"Then why didn't he take you home with him?"

"I wanted to wait for you."


	12. Girl Trouble

**Chapter Twelve: **

**Disclaimer: Rent isn't mine. I just like messing with the characters!**

_Dedication: This chapter is for my friend Jasmine, who's been going through a tough time with her family but loves Rent! You rock Jaz!_

_A/N: Hey! Well, this is what you've all been waiting for! Enjoy!_

After they'd picked Mimi up, she, Angel and Collins drove to Mimis building. Collins dug around in his pocket and found some quarters. He put them in the pay phone and called the loft.

"Speeeeak!"

"Roger, Mark, Pick up the phone! It's Collins!"

There was a click and someone picked up the phone: "Hello?" Mark said.

"Hey man! We got Mimi."

"Roger was going to get Mimi. How come you got her?"

Collins heard the door to the loft open and footsteps coming towards Mark.

"Hang on Collins." Mark put the phone down but Collins could still hear what was going on.

"How come you left Mimi at the hospital?" Mark said.

"She wanted to wait for Angel."

"You're not mad?"

"Nope."

"Oh."

"She wanted to wait for Angel... thats cool with me."

Mark picked up the phone again and sighed.

"So what did you want?" He said.

"Wanted to ask you guys if you wanna go back out camping again?"

"Does Mimi?"

"I dunno... well," Mimi was nodding vigourously at Collins, "She's doing some weird thing with her head... So I think it means she does."

Mimi smiled and hugged Angel.

"Wanna go back out camping?" Mark said to Roger who replied with a mumbled something.

"The mumble you just heard translates roughly into: 'Only if Mimi is going' and Mimi is... and our stuff is still at the site... hopefully. We'll be right down."

Collins and Angel stood together waiting for Mark and Roger, while Mimi called her mother on the phone to tell her what had happened.

"Mama!Le dije... Estoy muy bien. Ningún usted no necesita venir aquí." Mimi gestured madly with her hands, even though her mother couldn't see her. She sighed loudly and shook her head, "Usted no necesita enviar el dinero! Tengo bastante dinero. Mama bien, vez última usted me habló... ¡Mama! Mama... Tengo que ir... No... No puedo hablar para más de largo. Multa..."

Roger and mark came down a few minutes later. They just stood with Collins and Angel and watched Mimi yelling in spanish into the handset.

"What the hell is she doing?" Mark said, leaning on the wall behind them.

"Being funny." Angel said. Of course, she understood every word of the conversation, having been brought up speaking the same language.

"Translate, Angel?" Roger said.

"Heck no... that would be an invasion of privacy... besides, its funnier if you don't know whats going on."

Soon enough, Mimi hung up the phone roughly and stormed over to the group.

"My mother... Ángel... ella es la la mayoría... mujer de frustración siempre!"

"I know honey... I know." Angel put an arm around Mimi and they walked behind Roger, Mark and Collins, conversing rapidly in spanish.

"So Collins. How are we going to get back to the campsite?" Roger said.

"Yeah, we left the car at the hospital!" Mark chimed in.

"Then we'll go back the the hospital."

"How?"

"What do you have legs for Mark?"

"Uhh... To walk to the subway station?"

"To walk to the damn hospital, Mark. Its not that far away."

XOXOXOXOXOX

"Okay, did we contact Joanne and Maureen?" Angel said.

"Nope... we can just show up there though. Joanne said that we should just come to her place when we were ready to go again... so... we should go there now."

They arrived at Joannes apartment building ten minutes later and went up and knocked on the door.

"POOKIE! I wasn't flirting! I was just being friendly!" Maureen could be heard yelling. There was a collective sigh between the bohemians and Mimi and Angel looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

The door opened and a flustered looking Joanne acted happy that they were there.

"Hey! So are we going camping again?" She said, running a hand through her out-of-control hair.

"Uh... Girl troubles?" Collins said.

"No! What gave you that idea?"

"Oh, just all the yelling and shouting... we thought it was pretty obvious."

"Well, everythings fine here."

They all went into the living room of Joannes up town apartment. They felt slightly uncomfortable and inadequate, sitting on the leather couches and colour television that should have been threadbare armchairs and a barely working radio. It wasn't like they hadn't been there before, it felt this way every time. The only one who felt really comfortable sitting on leather was Angel. She was a girl of expensive tastes. Her favourite armchair was half made of leather. She loved the smell.

Maureen stormed out of the bedroom with a bag and a dramatic huff. Joanne rolled her eyes, "Leaving again Maureen?" Joanne said, "Suprise, suprise, but you always come running back." Joanne said bitterly.

"Oh, and by the way, we're going back out camping." Mark smiled and Collins held up the keys to the car.

"Oh, I'm not going if she's going." Maureen said.

"I thought you said there were no girl troubles, Jo." Angel said.

Joanne ignored her and smiled. "Well, Mo, I am going."

"But I wanna go!" Maureen stamped her foot and dropped her bag at her feet.

"Suggestion..." Mimi held up her finger, "How about you both go?"

Collins, Angel, Roger and Mark wildly flailed their arms and shook their heads behind Joanne and Maureen while both considered the option. Mimi giggled. Maureen and Joanne turned around. The others stood still.

"Fine. We'll both go."

"Great." They all said in unison.


	13. Plans

**Chapter Thirteen: **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rent...**

_Well here it is! The chapter most of you have been waiting for! Camping! Hope you enjoy! And as usual... leave a nice review and I'll give you cookies:) _

The bohemians arrived back at the campsite at lunchtime, and all were hungry. Only one was complaining though, the others were used to it.

"Ugh! I'm starving!" Joanne said, rubbing her stomach, "Aren't you guys?"

"Yeah..." They all said together.

Joanne rushed over to the huge cooler that contained all their food. The only things that were left were a box of Cap'n Crunch, some cheese that had begun to grow a mysterious green fuzz, a few bottles of beer, an apple and some fish in tins. Angel came up behind Joanne and put her hands on her shoulers. "Hmm," She said, "what a variety."

She nugded Joanne out of the way with her hip and speared the cheese on one long, blue fingernail.

"I think this things beginning to grow its own brain." She examined it carefully and turned it slowly before holding it up to her nose. "Oh ew!" She squealed before flinging the cheese over her shoulder where it hit Collins in the forhead. He scowled and threw it into the bushes.

"The bears will love that!" He said with a grin.

Maureen screamed, "BEARS?"

"He was kidding. Jeez Maureen!" Joanne huffed.

"Excuse me... but since when have you become Miss Outdoors?"

"I never said I was 'Miss Outdoors' but I, unlike you, have the amazing ability to pick a joke when I hear one..."

Angel, Collins, Mimi, Roger and Mark left the two girls to their bickering and went to see what was left, praying that nothing had been stolen.

"I CAN'T SLEEP IN A TENT WITH YOU!" Maureen screamed in Joannes face and stormed over to the others.

"I need to change tents!"

"Well... there's... Well I'm not giving up Angel." Collins said, being rather immature for the anarchist professor. He frowned as Angel laughed.

"We'll figure something out baby." She said, tapping him on the nose.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Evening fell on the campsite and still the tent issue was being discussed. Finally, after a lot of bickering, a few insults and a tantrum from Maureen, they decided that Angel and Collins could have their tent, and Roger and Joanne could swap places.

Everyone lay awake that night, the wind rustled through the trees and small animals could be heard in the forest.

"Hey, Baby... you asleep?" Angel said in barely a whisper.

"Yeah... I am... are you?"

"Obviously not... I can't sleep baby!"

"Me either."

There was a pause of a few minutes.

"I wonder if the others are awake?" Collins said.

"apparently they aren't"

Collins rolled over in his sleeping bag and propped himself up on his elbow. He leant down and kissed Angel softly. Angel wrapped his Arms around Collins' neck and pulled him down on top of him. Angel moaned softly and rolled over so that he was on top. Collins moaned loudly and they both heard someone giggle.

"Get a room guys!" They heard Mimi call from the tent she was sharing with Joanne, "We can hear you all the way over here!"

"This is as much of a room as we're going to get when we're out here... deal with it Chica!" Angel replied, laughing.

"Could you not wait until you got home?" It was Maureens turn to chime in this time.

"Never!" Collins said and both him and Angel began to make loud, obnoxios, suggestive noises. When they heard Mark and Roger shout at them to shut up, they stopped.

"Apparently they weren't asleep Baby." Angel said loudly and pouted.

"Apparently not..."

There was another silence and someone coughed. There was a loud snore.

"Who the heck is snoring?" Collins said loudly.

"Mark."

The snore came again.

"Make it stop!" Maureen cried.

"I have an idea!" Angel said, smirking.

"Uh oh, he has an idea..." Mimi said.

"Oh gosh! He has an idea!" Maureen repeated.

"An Idea?" Joanne said.

"Angel, just make them shut up and tell us about the damn idea." Roger said. He was still rather annoyed at having to give up Mimi. He wanted her in his tent, or to be in her tent, but it didn't seem possible with Maureen and Joanne fighting.

Angel unzipped his sleeping bag, then the tent and stepped out into the biting night air, followed closely by Collins. Soon, everyone but Mark had met outside around the campfire.

Angel went to his bag and took out a pink bag. Everyone looked over his shoulder. Inside the bag was a heap of make-up. Lipsticks, blush, eye shadow, mascara, eyeliner, the works.

"Hey Angel... I cannot believe you bought all this stuff with you." Joanne said.

"No girl like me is complete without her make up." Angel replied.

"Amen to that." Maureen said.

"Maureen... just... be quiet and let Angel tell us whats going on."

"You know what... Pookie... I don't have to listen to what you say!"

"I would have thought you would considering all that shit you said about me 'meaning so much to you' and that we're 'meant to be together' and all that."

Joanne and Maureen moved over to the car to continue their arguing while the others just rolled their eyes and continued with the plan.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

The next morning, everyone was up quite early. Everyone except mark. Mark was still snoring loudly when Angel went to have a shower, when Collins got up ten minutes later, when Maureen woke up an hour after that, when Joanne got an apple for breakfast and when Mimi and Roger woke up.

All of them were sitting around the campsite when Mark walked out of the tent, running his hand through his hair.

Everyone except Mark burst out laughing. Mark had darkly lined eyes, bright blue mascara, pink lipstick, very red blusher and yellow eeyeshadow on his face.

Mimi was almost crying with laughter, Angel was trying to hide it behind his hand, and Roger went up to his friend and clapped him on the back.

"Tough break man." He said, a hint of laughter in his voice.

"What are you guys on about"

Joanne handed him a compact mirror and Mark gasped at his appearance.

"ANGEL, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" He shouted.

"You do that honey." Angel said dismissively and sat on Collins' lap.

"ANGEL! I'll cut all of your wigs then."

Angel shrieked and apologised profusely to Mark, who seemed extremely happy to have the upper hand over Angel.

"This should be fun!"


	14. Can't Handle the Heat?

**Chapter Fourteen: Can't Handle the Heat?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rent... Would I really be writing FanFiction about it if I did?**

_Right, I believe that it has been a total of almost eleven months since I last updated this fic, so I apologise and promise to tell all of you about the reason... skip over the next part if you really don't care nd just want the fic, or read on if you're interested. Well, after July last year, I decided I'd really better get studying for exams, because I wasn't doing too well at school... then I ended up hosting a student from france for a month which was a full time thing, but absolutely awesome fun, so much fun that I'm hosting another student this coming July, which is exciting. Then started the planning for the schools first ever trip to France, which I had been planning for for years. That took up time because the three days spent in Paris were totally planned by the students, which made that time stressful because everynight we were on the phone to french people who spoke minimal english, trying to get them to let a group of sixteen teenagers into things like The Louvre, The Catacombes and The Museum D'Orsay for a reduced price, then trying to get hotel accomodation all on the same floor (Which we didn't get anyway.) Then cane the actual trip, which happened in March to April. That was a month and it was worth all of the stress of planning and everything because it was so amazing... I'm going to be posting some of the pictures I took on Deviantart soon, so I'll put the adress for that up soon. Anyways... ALL OF YOU WHO WEREN'T LISTENING... TUNE BACK IN! So, I have some reviewers to thank. First of all, AngelxCollins, LaVieAngel__ and L Ducky_, _each reviewed every chapter almost, which is so totally encouraging, so thank you. Then all of the other reviewers that leave really nice reviews, I appreciate them too, because they let me know that there are lots of people (hopefully) reading what I'm writing, so I'm not writing for a non-existent audience. So... if anyone has any ideas at all that you want in the fic, then let me know and I'll try to incorporate them into the story somehow. I'm going to try to make this chapter as long as possible, just to say sorry for leaving it so long between updates... By the way, I apologise for any mistakes in advance. I'm using wordpad because my other programs don't work. I'll try to pick them up but I apologise for any I miss... So here goes... brace yourself people :)_

XXXX

Mark knew that he wouldn't really hurt Angel so much as to cut her wigs, he knew how much she paid for them and how much they meant to her. Nonetheless, he went into her tent and pulled out the second wig that Angel had brought with her apart from the one that was sitting on her head at that precise moment. He went into maureens tent and took a pair of nail scissors. He went back out to stand in front of the group. He held up the wig. He held up the scissors. Maureens face turned red. Angels turned white.

"They're my scissors Mark! You went into my tent!" Maureen shrieked. Angel could only gape helplessly as Mark held her most expensive wig in one hand and scissors in the other. She frowned, "Please Mark..." She widened her eyes and batted her eyelashes.

"That only works on Collins Ang... Now, what can I make you do..." Mark grinned evilly. Everyone in the group, however, knew that Mark wouldn't be so mean. Everyone, it seemed, but Angel.

"I'll do anything Mark! Anything, just don't hurt the wig." She looked about ready to get down on her knees and beg, but Mark already had a plan.

"You want the wig back, right?" Angel nodded profusely.

"Well... then you're going to have to be my servant."

"Servant?"

"Jeez Mark. I think I made you be my servant in first grade when we were six... could you be anymore juvenile?" Roger said, raising his eyebrows and shrugging.

"I think I could. I could be more juvenile and not try to bribe Angel... I could just cut the damn wig..."

"NO!" Angel cried.

"Don't worry Ang, he won't do it." Collins said reassuringly, "He's a softie."

"I'll be your servant mark... just don't hurt the pretty $100 wig... okay..." Angel completely ignored Collins and clasped her hands in front of her.

Mark shrugged, "Go and make me a fabulous lunch and we'll see."

XXXX

Angel scowled as she sat in the passenger seat of the car with Collins driving.

"You shouldn't let him push you around like this... It's not the Angel I know..." Collins didn't take his eyes off the road but smirked as he saw Angel trying to hide the grin that was crossing her face. "I knew it."

"Knew what, Baby?" She tried to look innocent.

"You have a plan."

"Do I?"

"I hope so."

"Well... now that you mention it, I think I might just have a little something cooking in my mind."

"Do tell."

"I guess you could help me out."

"I think I could too."

"Heres the plan..."

XXXX

Angel whistled absentmindedly as she added a few spices to the peppers she was cooking in a big pot for Marks dinner. She nodded as she added a few extraa spices just for Mark, give the meal a little kick. She hoped that he liked spice. Finally, she added the noodles and grinned, stirring some more. It was ready. She felt like a witch brewing a potion instead of a 'servant' making dinner for her 'master'.

"MARK!" She called, putting the plate down on the makeshift dining table with the candles and napkins that they'd bought at the supermarket.

Mark walked over to the table a minute later and sat down at the table, spreading his napkin over his lap. He lifted a mouthful of food to his lips and ate it. He chewed thoughfully and suddenly jumped up from his seat. His face had turned a brilliant shade of scarlett and he was searching frantically for water, which Angel had conveniently 'forgotten' to put on the table. Mark ran as fast as he could through the trees and to the lake. The whole group followed, laughing hysterically. Mark didn't know what else to do so he ran, fully clothed, into the lake and dived under. He resurfaced, coughing and spluttering, his face still a similar shade of red, but not so bright.

"Can't handle the heat Markie?" Mimi shouted, high-fiving Angel.

"Mark, I thought you were meant to have trunks on before you got in the water!" Roger called.

"Nice hair Mark!" Joanne yelled to the dripping film maker as he got out of the water.

"Why don't you just leave him alone, Joanne." Maureen said quietly.

"Why don't you mind your own buisness?"

"This is my buisness. Mark's my friend."

"He's my friend too."

"He was my friend first."

"Until you cheated on him with me."

"Joanne... you're so... just... I don't know... just leave me alone." Maureen, in her usual dramatic fashion, ran off back the the campsite. Joanne sighed and rolled her eyes, "I guess I'd better go and work this out with her."

Joanne dissappeared into the trees and the rest of the group, including Mark, stared at each other, "Wow..." Mimi whispered.

XXXX

"Joanne... I just feel like you care more about these people that I introduced you to than you care about me... Thaat's not fair."

"No Maureen, thats not fair what you just said to me..."

"Why though... That's how I feel."

"I appreciate you introducing me to them so much, because they've become my friends too. I feel like a part of the family now... instead of just... I dunno, 'Maureens Lawyer Girlfriend.'"

"Maureens Lawyer Girlfriend is a pretty cool title though, don't you think."

"I'd rather be a member of the family."

"You are that too... I just wish... You see, this is the problem. I know what's bothering me, but I can't say it in words because I don't know how."

"Can it be, you're speechless?"

"Shut up."

"Maureen, don't worry, I love you. I always will... you have to trust me on that because I don't know how to prove it to you."

"I could think of a way." Maureen purred seductively.

"That could work..." Joanne said as Maureen leant over and pressed her lips to Joannes. Joanne pulled away amd wrapped her arms around Maureen and they walked back to the tent.

Angel wandered into the campsite some time later and heard Joannes light breathes of 'Maureen...'. Angel blushed and tried not to listen. She tip-toed over to Marks tent and went inside. She searched around the tent and finally found what she was looking for. Marks camera was always clean and safe, no matter what condition Mark himself was in. Right now, the rest of the group were still swimming, having come back to the campsite to change into trunks before heading back. The last traces of daylight were leaving and Angel had snuck back to the site, trusting Collins to cover for her. Angel searched also for her wig and found it under one of Marks sweaters. She ran from the tent and into her own, cradling the silky soft hair to her chest. She rubbed it against her cheek and sighed, "Thank Goodness you're safe!" She whispered before hiding the camera and pulling her wig off. He was feeling sort of tired. He decided not to go back to the lake, but to go to bed. He put her pyjamas on and got into his sleeping bag. He lay his head on the lumpy pillow and shut his eyes, thankful for the silence. That was, apart from Joanne and Maureen. He was glad that they'd made up.

XXXX

_There you go. I'll update soon, I promise! Please review... and remember, I want you guys to make suggestions because I tend to run out of ideas that make any sense to anyone apart from me. Anyways, hope you enjoyed!_


	15. Revenge is Best Served Cold

**Chapter Fifteen: Revenge is best served Cold.**

**Disclaimer: You know the deal, I don't own Rent... **

_Told you guys I'd update again soon. Same deal as last time, I don't have spell check but I'll try my best to correct mistakes. Oh yeah, and the means flashback, from now on. :D_

Everyone awoke the next morning, expecting to see Mark ordering Angel around... but the first order he dished out, she rejected.

"I told you that I wanted eggs and bacon for breakfast, and I want it soon." Mark ordered, pointing at the campfire.

"And I told you Mark, no, I won't."

"Do you want me to cut the wig."

"Do you want me to smash your camera?"

Marks skin paled, if that was possible, and his eyes adopted a panicked, glazed look, "My camera?"

"Well, have you checked your camera lately?"

"I haven't had much spare time to use it now have I?"

"Yeah, you've been too busy ordering me around. And in case you were wondering, you no longer have power over me, but I seem to have quite a large amount of power over you... because I have your camera."

"You have my camera."

"Yes... and I believe I'm going to play spy."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I'm going to carry your camera around and film when you;re not looking... or when you're doing things that you're not meant to be doing."

"Like girls?" Roger called.

"YOu can't do that... It's illegal."

"Are you sure."

"Actually-" Joanne began.

"Shut up Joanne!" Mimi, Roger, Collins, Maureen and Angel yelled at her. She shrunk back.

"So... here goes."

Angel turned the running camera on herself, "June 17th, 8.30 AM, Eastern Standard Time. We are a group of good friends who decided to go on a camping trip. Heres the story so far. Drag Queen and Anarchist have been having a great time in blissville," She turned the camera on Collins, who waved, "Lawyer and Drama queen have had some issues, but worked through them unproblematically," She turned the camera on Maureen and Joanne, who were making out on a chair, "And then theres the stripper and the ex-rockstar, who we haven't heard much about, but can assume that they're happy... I guess." Angel turned the camera onto Roger and Mimi who were sitting on the ground next to each other, talking. Angel turned the camera back on herself again, "But theres one person who has been causing trouble. You see, cameraboy stole drag queens wig and used it as blackmail, or a bribe, or whatever. But now Drag Queen has the upper hand. Drag Queen stole back her wig, and took the liberty of stealing Cameraboys camera while she was at it, and now has the upper hand. I, Angel Dumont Schunard, am going to make a documentary on the camping adventures and shennanigans of Mark Cohen."

Mark scowled and turned his back. He hated everything. He didn't want Angel to have his camera. He felt like a child and wanted to throw a tantrum. He stormed out of the campsite and out of the park altogether. Angel made to follow, but Collins held her back, "Maybe I better go find him and talk to him?"

"I think thats a good idea." Roger said sobrely, before kissing Mimi on the neck.

Collins ran in the direction that Mark hd stormed off in. He looked around him and couldn't see Mark anywhere. He began to pace. He couldn't think about where Mark could be. He didn't want to think about where Mark could be. Before Roger and Collins had HIV, Mark had run off before and not returned for weeks. Collins had been so worried he'd made himself sick.

"You're not worried about him?" Collins said to a half sleeping Roger, who'd had the flu for a week.

"No... I'm not worried about him. I'm worried about myself." He said as another cough escaped his mouth, "I feel like shit."

"I'm gonna go and look for him... he's been gone for a week, and you've got your head too far up your own ass to worry."

Roger looked hurt but Collins didn't care. He was slightly pissed off. If Roger had been missing for a week, he'd expect everyone to be out looking for him, he'd expect a search party, he'd expect the FBI, he'd expect the army, maybe even the secret service to take a break from guarding the president and come to look after him.

Collins took his coat and scarf from the back of the sofa and put them on, "I'll be back in a couple hours..."

Roger only groaned pitifully.

He rushed dowwn the fire excape and jumped down onto the street. He looked around him, not knowing where to start. He thought back to all the times he'd been out filming with Mark and went in the direction of Thomkins Square park. He had been there countless times with Mark and of course, Marks camera. He walked through the gates. It was a cold morning and Collins could see his breath, but he couldn't see Mark. There seemed to be an uncanny amount of people wearing navy and white striped scarves in the park but none of them were who he wanted them to be.

He was so worried. He was so worried that he wasn't thinking straight and when that happened, there was always something wrong. He had always prided himself on his ability to stay cool during crises. He felt panicked. He cared about nothing more than he cared about his friends, and when there was something wrong with them, or worse, one of them was missing, he felt like a part of himself had gone with them.

Suddenly, he found a navy and white scarf, a head of blonde hair, a brown jacket, glasses and a camera, all attached to the same body. The person had seen him and had begun to run in the opposite direction. Collins took a deep breath and took off. He knew he'd catch up to the smaller boy in almost no time and he was right. In less than a minute, they were on a grassy area and Mark was trying to hide behind a tree. Collins rolled his eyes and tackled Mark to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing Collins?" Mark yelled and tried to escape from underneath Collins.

"Trying to look for you. You're a moron. We thought you were dead or something."

"No you didn't. Roger has his head too far up his own ass."

"You're right. I was worried."

"Were you?"

"If I wasn't, why would I be out on a day like today, LOOKING FOR YOU?"

"No need to yell... I was filming."

"For a week at a time. You're a twit. I should kill you now. But I'll let Roger do it for taking my attention away from him."

Mark smirked.

"Why'd you run, man?" Collins sat up and Mark sat next to him.

"You and Roger... you're great friends... I don't fit in."

"My ass. What would we be without you?"

Mark shrugged.

"Exactly."

A feeling of relief had spread over Collins. It was like he was high. He felt relaxed and happy, like nothing bad could ever happen to him now that Mark was back by his side.

Collins looked around again, with a fresh outlook on the situation. Even though the trees were practically endless out here and there were no other buildings for miles, he was confident that Mark wouldn't do anything stupid like run away permanantly. He turned on the spot and heard a branch break behind him. There was a flash of white from behind a tree and Collins stood on the other side and said, "Mark, you should know from experiance that trees are a sucky thing to hide behind."

"It's not that." Mark said, sniffing.

"Dude, are you crying?"

"No way... Maybe a little."

"Whats up?"

"Nothing... I mean there is. But if I tell you, you'll take Angels side and be mad at me."

"No I won't. I mean, I know Angel is a little unreasonable at times... tell me what's up."

"Where do you want me to start?"

"The beginnings always good."

"Right... well when you met Angel, I was happy because you found someone who made you happy. Problem number one. I didn't have anyone who made me that happy. Angel was always so happy and so... energetic. Problem number two. My life seemed so boring and monotonous compared to yours now that you had Angel. She's so confident, and I was intrigued how someone who was a man, biologically, could feel so confident as a woman. Problem number three. I'm uncomfortable at both. I hated that time we all dressed up as women for that party... but I'm awkward as a man too. Angel goes all... graceful as a woman. I thought that by stealing her wig, I would be stealing some of that confidence. But she still had it. She still had the confidence to burn my tongue off with that pepper in the food, and to steal my camera. I wish I was like that. I wish I had someone in my life like that... I guess I'm jealous."

"Man, honestly... what kind of crap was that?" Collins rolled his eyes, "You do have Angel in your life. Angel loves you. Angel wants to be your friend... just let her."


	16. Bad Luck

**Chapter Sixteen - Bad Luck**

**Disclaimer: Rent isn't mine. **

XXXX

Angel looked up as Collins walked back into the campsite with Mark. He gave him a friendly punch on the arm and sent him ver to talk to Angel. Mark walked over with his hands shoved deep into his pockets and his head down. The dry grass crunched under his feet and although Angel was looking at her nails (trying to look uninterested) she could still tell how close he was. He was only a few feet away when Angel finally looked at him. Mark cocked his head in the direction of the path that led through the forest around the lake and back again. Angel scowled, "If you want me to come with you, you're going to have to talk to me."

Mark looked up. His eyes were red rimmed and puffy, as if he'd been crying the whole hour he'd been 'missing', "Fine. Are you coming for a walk or not?"

"Yeah... I'm coming."

Angel followed Mark down the path and their footsteps fell into stride. They were well into the forest before either of them said anything, but it was Mark who got up the courage to speak first.

"Angel... You know something..."

"I know lots of things."

"I think the reason I've been a... well..."

"You've been a jerk."

"Yeah... it's because I'm sort of jealous of you..."

Angel scoffed, "Jealous of me?"

"Yeah, I mean, as soon as you put on those heels and those dresses, you become so graceful and confident."

"But have you seen me as a guy. I'm a mess. I can't talk to people, I'm a nervous wreck. Its a miracle I had the confidence to help Collins when he needed me. I guess that was just fate."

Mark nodded, "I don't know exactly what it is about you that I'm jealous of, maybe its Collins... I mean, someone like Collins who loves you whatever you do... or the confidence... You have something in you that... I dunno, but nobody else I know has it..."

Angel quirked an eyebrow. She didn't know what to make of Marks words, but decided to take it as touching and sweet, "Thanks Mark... Look, I'm sorry that I stole your camera... It's just that, I mean, those wigs cost me a fortune and I feel like all of my... i don't know... they make me happy... and confident."

"It's alright. I was a jerk."

"We both were."

Angel stopped Mark and pulled him into a hug. Mark was slightly taken aback at first, but he relaxed and put his arms around Angel, who was about the same height as him when she wasn't wearing heels. He noticed that she was shaking and realised that she was crying.

"Angel... Don't cry... it's not worth it."

"I was afraid that I was going to lose you as a friend..."

"A friend?"

"Yeah..." She pulled back, "You're my friend... I didn't want to lose you."

"I'll always be here..."

"That's sweet." She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and pushed some stray strands of hair behind her ear.

They begun walking back to camp. Their feet once again fell into step and Angel sighed, "I don't think camping agrees with our little family, does it?"

Mark shook his head, "But hey, you were the one who wanted to get away from everyday life in NYC..."

"True... I meant move though... I think we should go on a holiday somewhere else though..."

"Can we afford anything else?"

Angel grinned, "I have friends in high places Markie."

Angels plan begun to formulate in her head and she figured out just how it would work.


	17. Where?

**Chapter Seventeen - Where?**

**Discalimer: Yep... you know the drill, I don't own Rent.**

_Well, I think this is the 4th chapter I've added in a week... so I'm making up for the ten months I was gone? I hope so. Anyways, I was sitting in my chair, listening to Tokio Hotel (German Band, check them out... they're awesome.) and I came up with a great idea, and even though I have to get up early to go to school tomorrow, I'm going to get as much of it done as I can before I have to sleep some to be ready for a BIG test in Legal studies tomorrow (I think it's cruel giving us a test on a friday...) as well as having to speak in french in front of my school! GaH! Wow... theres Alot of Random capitalisation in That NoTe :P Anyways, you guys don't care, you only want the story right? Well here goes..._

XXXX

Mark and Angel wandered back into the campsite about an hour after they'd left, much to everyone elses relief.

"Oh my gosh, we were just about to call out a search party..." Maureen gasped.

"Or you would have if you hadn't been too busy sucking Joannes face off." Collins grinned and Maureen flipped him off.

"Did you guys have a nice walk?" Mimi said.

"Yeah... I had an idea!" Angel said.

"Oh god... do you remember what happened after your last idea?" Roger said, hiding his face behind his hands.

"Yeah... you and Mark nearly caused a war." Mimi said, "But I like your ideas anyway, which is why you need to tell us about this idea of yours."

Angel gathered everyone around and gracefully dropped to sit on the ground. Everyone else followed.

"Right, I came up with the fabulous and brilliant idea that camping isn't our 'forte'..." Angel gestured flamboyantly with her hands.

"You think?" Joanne said. Maureen poked her in the ribs, "Go on Angey..."

"So... I say we go back to New York, and I go and see some of my friends in high places and gather some money together and go all out on a real holiday."

"I think if we all did the same, we'd end up with enough for a great trip." Marks face brightened.

"And if Collins... baby, you could always rewire another ATM... just to get some extra... spending cash?" Angel sat on his lap and kissed his neck. He shook his head defiantly, "I can't..." She nibbled on his ear, "I really can't..." She ran her hands over his chest. he squirmed and she stifled a giggle, "Fine... I'll do it... but maybe I can do the whole system so we can get more without them getting suspicious..."

"Oh! And I'll enter the lottery thousands of times..." Joanne looked around the group.

"We can enter competitions..." Maureen said with a flourish.

"Fundraising..." Mimi cried.

"So this is going to happen?" Angel whispered in Collins ear.

"I guess so..." He murmured in reply. She smiled against his neck.

XXXX

The campsite was all packed up and the bohemians stood next to the car, surveying the site.

"Nobody buried anything...?"

"Nothing is by the lake?"

"I checked there..."

"The campfire pit is empty?"

"I think so."

Collins suddenly looked up and pulled a pocketknife from his pocket, "Angel, come with me..."

He pulled her into the forest and they found the tree they'd taken refuge in when a storm had struck during a game of hide and seek. He carved their names in the tree: TBC + ADS FOREVER.

Angel giggled and led him back to the car, "We're ready to go?"

Everyone nodded.

XXXX

Having been driving for hours, they needed conversation. Angel was bored. She'd painted her nails, Mimis nails, Maureens nails, Joannes nails and even Rogers nails. She had wasted all of the tissues on playing games with Mimi. She'd danced until she was exhausted and now she wanted to talk.

"So where are we going?" She said.

"Uh... the loft?" Mark said, rolling his eyes.

"No, stupid, I mean on this fantastic holiday..."

"D'you think we'll have enough for overseas?" Roger said, examining the blue nail polish, "I think this suits me." Mimi giggled.

"If I can pull enough strings, I think we will."

"Which countries?" Maureen said.

"France!"

"Germany!"

"Britain!"

"AUSTRALIA!"

Everyone turned to look at Collins, who had shouted out the first country that came to mind, "I've always wanted to go there." He said, turning his head to look at the group before refocusing on the road.

"How about we do all of them..." Angel said.

"How high up are these friends of yours and how much money do you think you're going to be able to juice out of them?" Roger questioned, skeptical, even though when Angel made a promise, she always stuck to it.

"Pretty high up..." She said, laying her head back on the headrest, suddenly tired.


	18. Daddy Dearest

**Chapter Eighteen - Daddy Dearest**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Rent, never have, never will... all the rest...**

_Another Chapter, I think I'm on a roll:P But now I have to go to bed... goodnight everyone reading! Grabs teddy bear and blankie _

XXXX

The bohemians were sleepy, having just woken up. They'd decided it'd be pointless to go back to thier own places when they were just going to be leaving again anyway. It was only five in the morning. It was five or six hours earlier than they usually rose in the morning.

"Well, I have an important person to see..." Angel said, pulling a black sweater on over a white dress shirt and jeans, "I'll be back in a few hours."

"With endless supplies of money and an explanation, right?" Collins stared at Angel sternly, trying so hard not to laugh.

"Well, that's the plan." She said, skipping through the door.

XXXX

Angel walked into the lobby of the building, one that was, coincidentally, across the street from the building where Joanne worked. She went to the desk and studied the face of the receptionist. Her grey buisness suit matched the grey marble of the lobby.

"Can I help you?" She said, pushing her thick, black rimmed glasses up her nose.

"Uh yes, actually. Can you tell me the way to the offices of Schunard and Thomson advertising?"

"Sure." She typed on the keyboard of her computer, which omitted a beep and she nodded, "Schunard and Thomson is on the eighteenth floor."

"Thank you so much."

"No problem, Miss. Have a nice day."

Angel nodded and found a free elevator. She stepped in and pressed the button with the eighteen on it. She looked in the mirrored walls of the tiny space. She hoped that the curly black wig and boring heeled boots would convince who she needed to see that she was someone she wasn't. The lift stopped and the doors opened. A cheerful voice said, "Welcome to the Eighteenth floor, home to Schunard and Thomson advertising, Pascal home loans, Heredia life insurance, Martin and Menzel law firm and Thoms and Rapp publishing." Angel stepped out into the hall and the doors shut behind her.

She approached yet another desk. There was a man behind this one. He reminded her of Collins in a way, an untraditional beauty.

"Hi, can I help you?" He said.

"You sure can. Which way to Schunard and Thomson Advertising?"

"Its down this hallway, right at the end." He pointed to his left.

"Thank you so much."

"No Problem, Miss. Have a nice day."

Angel had always tjought that receptionists had a script that they read off. It was creepy the way they all said exactly the same thing. It compelled Angel to be monotonous as well.

She went down the hallway and pushed open the heavy door with the sign for S&T Advertising on it. She took a deep breath and went to the front desk. The recieptionist looked different. She was wearing lots of make up and was chewing gum quite obnoxiously.

"Hey. What can I do for you?" She said, snapping her gum.

"I have an appointment to see Juan Shunard?"

"Oh yeah, big wig... take a seat dude." She grinned and went back to reading the trashy magazine she'd been buried in before Angel had disturbed her. Angel liked her.

Fifteen minutes and three disscarded customer service journals later, yet another receptionist clone led her into an office where she was invited to sit down. She did. Then he walked in.

He was just as she'd remembered him. He glanced at her before sitting across the desk from him.

"Now, Miss, what can I help you with today?"

He still had the slight accent.

"Well... i don't know if you recognize me..." She said, her voice shaking, "But my name is Annabella Schunard."

His eyes widened, 'thats right, act surprised...' Angel thought to herself and couldn't help but grin. She was fooling him.

"Annabella? My Annie?" He stared at her with a mixture of recognition and happiness.

"Yeah, thats right..."

"Ay mi dios!" He said, sstanding up to walk around the desk. He sat on it and leant down to stroke Angels face. She flinched. She didn't feel comfortable with him touching her, "What do you want... Anything you need, anything you want... it's yours."

"I need money."

"How much?"

"As much as you can give me."

"That's a big ask Annie..."

"Well... I have a proposition for you. Either you give me the money and I'll come and visit you every month, or you don't give it to me and I'll spill our story... how you terrorised your twins... beat my brother, tried to touch me... I'll tell it all."

"You wouldn't."

"I would. I need this money and if this is how I have to get it then so be it."

"How do you want it?" He said, surrendering.

"Cash."

XXXX

Angel walked slowly and carefully back to the loft. She knew that carrying a briefcase was dangerous in this neighborhood and wanted to get inside as soon as possible. She shouted up at the building, "COLLINS! THROW DOWN THE KEY!"

Collins appeared on the fire escape and threw down the key. She unlocked the door and climbed the stairs, clutching the briefcase to her chest.

She burst into the loft and the group looked up at her, "Call off all of your other money making schemes... I have enough."

She put the briefcase on the table and flicked the locks. There were budles of notes, all lined up neatly and orderly.

"How much is here?" Joanne whispered.

"A million dollars..." Angel whispered, hardly daring to believe it.


	19. Explanations

**Chapter Nineteen - Explanations**

**Disclaimer; I don't own rent... I would have thought that much was obvious by now.**

_Well, I might be a little slow with updating for a while because my computer is having issues. I'll probably be able to upload some chapters but the flow might not be as quick as it has been the last few days... okay? Sorry! _

XXXX

Collins led Angel out onto the fire escape and they sat down on the stairs. Angel watched as Collins took a cigarette out of a packet and lit it. He took a long drag and blew the smoke out, and both watched it curl and twirl and dissappear. Angel took the cigarette from Collins and took a drag. She blew the smoke out in a stream, hardly bothering to watch it. Collins took the cigarette back and put it in his mouth. He put his arms around Angel, "I believe you have a story to tell me..." He said.

"I think I do too."

"Shoot, I'm listening." Angel lay her head on Collins shoulder and shut her eyes before beginning, "I was born a twin in the Dominican Republic. My mother and Father raised me and my sister Annabella well, we had discipline and a firm role model to look up to. He was always taught by his parents that there was never too far to go when disciplining his children, so he used to beat us. He'd hit us, throw us across rooms and never stopped until we were too tired and too defeated to cry, or yell. He hit our mother too, whenever she tried to stop him. Annabella and I became inseperable. One day, this girl from next door came over because her parents had sent her because of the noise Annabella was making while our father had locked her in a room with him. She was screaming and I was banging on the door, throwing my entire body at it. I felt hopeless because there was nothing I could do about it. The girl knocked on the door and my mother answered. I went to see who it was and there was a eight year old Mimi. I was ten at the time and after that, anytime our father was beating us, she came over to save us. You see, my father always prided himself on having a 'normal' home, and was willing to do anything to maintain his reputation... that included letting us go as soon as there was a knock at the door. Mimi became a part of our duo and we became a trio. We ran away a few times, the three of us, but he always found us. Finally, it bacame too much. Mimi came up with the idea that we go some place where he'd never find us. We decided on New York. By some miracle, a twelve year old and fourteen year old twins made their way to New York where we were taken in by a kind lady called Mary. She took us in as her own children, and treated us as such. She sent us to school, Mimi got to go to dance classes, Annabella was an incredible painter and I took to designing clothing. I saw most of Annabellas paintings and they were beautiful. She sold them on the street near Thomkins Square Park. We made lots of money from my clothing and her paintings. Mimi danced for money on street corners and we finally had enough money to rent a tiny apartment in alphabet city. It was about the size of a shoebox. Annabella, Me and Mimi all got jobs at this little cafe. They pay was minimal, but it paid the bills... well most of them. Anyway, one day, Annabella didn't come back from work in the morning after working the night shift. We suspected she'd gone to a friends place and didn't worry about it. Then a few years ago, they found remains in a trucking container in an alley. They concluded that it was my sister. At the same time, I founf out that my father had moved my mother and himself to new York and he had become a massive advertising executive. I was distraught. I had fmy friend go and ask his secretary to talk to him about his family. It was clear from the information that I got from that, my father still thought that Annabella was alive, so I posed as her, with the black wig, and the clothes she used to wear, and the shoes, and suddenly, I was her. I told him that if he didn't give me all the money I wanted, then I'd tell the media, the police, anyone I could about the way he treated us when we were kids. He gave me a million and told me to come back whenever I needed more."

Collins had sat wide eyed through the whole story and when Angel had finished, he sighed deeply, "You blackmailed your own father..."

"The man who beat me and ... well... he hurt my sister."

"I never said that I was against you blackmailing your father. I think you deserve this money."

Angel nodded, "I feel dirty."

"Why?"

"I don't know..." She buried her face in Collins shoulder. Her next words came out as a mixture of grrunts and incoherent mumbling.

"You're going to have to speak up."

Angel lifted her head and looked him in the face, "I said, I think it's because I had to stoop so low as to impersonate my dead sister just to have enough money to go on a holiday."

"You have no reason to feel dirty... He's the one who should feel dirty."

Angel stood, dragging Collins up with her, "I love you." She said. Collins pressed his lips to hers and she pressed her body against his. The air suddenly turned cold and Angel shivered. Not breaking the kiss, Collins wrapped his arms around her and she wrapped hers around him. She smiled against his lips and pulled away.

"I guess I better go talk to Mimi?" She said.

"I think that's a good idea."

Angel went inside the loft and Collins followed. Angel pulled Mimi downstairs to her apartment.

"What is this? You're a psycho!" She shrieked.

"Mimi, I have to talk to you..."

Mimi went to the cupboard and puleld out a bottle of vodka: "Want some?"

"YOu already know the answer."

Mimi half filled both cups and handed one to Angel, who took a sip and put it on the table. She flopped down on Mimis couch and Mimi landed gracefully beside her a second later, "You wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Yeah... Are you wondering how I got that money?"

"I'm assuming that you dressed up as Annabella and blackmailed your father?"

"You're good..."

"I knew as soon as I saw you with the black wig and the conservative clothing... You looked... you look just like her."

"I do?"

Mimi nodded and both began to cry, "I miss her, Mimi..." Angel whispered, "I miss her too, Chica."

Angel pulled Mimi into a hug and they lay together like that for a while. Mimi loved being next to Angel. Angel made her feel strong, like she could do anything. They'd been through so much together and she never wanted Angel to ever be sad, "She'd have been proud of you, y'know..."

"Why?"

"Sticking it to your father... Priceless. I can just imagine you flouncing in there and demanding money or threatening to tell the cops what he did to you guys."

Angel smiled, "I think we oughta get back to the Loft... The others will be worried."

"I guess so."

XXXX

The next day, the bohemians went to a travel agent and booked their trip. They planned the countries they'd go to and what flights they'd be on. It was all set. As they were walking out of the agency, Agel spun on the spot and let out an excited squeal, "WE'RE GOING ON A REAL HOLIDAY!" She yelled at the top of her voice, earning curious clances arom passersby. That was the thing about Angel, she didn't care.


	20. C'est La Vie: Part One

**Chapter 20 - C'est La Vie**

**Disclaimer: Rent n'est pas la mienne :P I mean... Rent isn't mine. :P**

_So... here we go... another holiday. If theres other languages thrown in the mix then there'll be translations down the bottom. I'll try not to put too much of other languages in there... but I think a little is cool :P I decided to take them to Paris because I only just recently returned from there. _

XXXX

Maureen whined loudly as the plane begun to descend, "Pookie... my ears hurt!" She clung to Joannes coat and the rest of the bohemians rolled their eyes. They were all tired and cranky and all they wanted to do was shower and sleep. Angel was almost asleep with her head on Collins' shoulder and Mimi was almost asleep with her head on Angels shoulder. Roger was behind them with mark and Joanne and Maureen were across the aisle from them. It had been a long trip. Maureen had complained about the choice of in-flight movie. Joanne and Mark had both gotten airsick and spent most of the trip in the toilets. Roger had slept most of the way, due to a headache, which he said was caused by the stress that Maureen put him through with her complaining. This had caused a fight between them and then Collins got involved, telling them to shut up. Angel and Mimi had had a fairly uneventful flight, talking about their childhood and checking out the flight attendants.

Finally the plane landed and they collected their baggage. They waited out the front of the airport in Paris for a taxi to pass, but Angel had had other plans, "Come on you guys... I have a surprise for you."

THey followed Angel to the carpark of the airport, where there was a limousine and another van waiting for them. All but Angel gaped hopelessly at the limousine. After he'd recovered, Roger scoffed and said, "Well, I envy the person who gets to ride in that."

"I didn't think you could envy yourself." Angel winked at Collins and got into the limo. She was followed by Mimi, Maureen and Joanne. The guys loaded the van with their luggage before getting in.

On the way to the hotel, they talked about the limousine. Only two of them had ever been in a limousine before. Angel had been the best man at a friends wedding (The rest of the group laughed hysterically when he told them) and Joanne had been to lots of rich lawyer parties (As she put it 'Snobfests'). Mimi sat and ran her hands over the soft leather of the seats and Collins drunk the bar dry. Roger had fun with the phone and Maureen spent almost the entire half an hour trip flirting with the chauffeur in english, which he didn't understand.

"So... I think you're really cute... Do you come here often?" She said, leaning over the seat to put her hand on his shoulder.

"Je suis desolee, Je ne parle pas anglaise..." _I'm sorry, I don't speak english. _He glanced at her helplessly. Muareen rolled her eyes and went back to talking with Mimi aabout which were better, rubber catsuits or leather pants.

Finally, they reached the hotel du Louvre, from which one could see the Eiffel Tower from the window, as well as walk to the louvre and it was only a step out of the door to the closest metro station.

Angel unlocked the door with the key they'd collected at the reception desk. She dropped her suitcase on the floor right in front of the door and headed straight in to find the bedroom. Collins rolled his eyes and stepped over angels suitcase into the suite. It was unbeareably yellow. The walls were yellow, the carpet was yellow, the roof was yellow, the curtains were yellow, the doors were yellow and the window frames were also yellow. He groaned. "What's wrong Baby?" Came Angels muffled voice. She had her face buried in a pillow.

"Its so... yellow..." Collins said, picking up Angels suitcase and carrying it into the bedroom. The yellow was broken only by the furniture, which was, he assumed, oak. The bed covers were green, the couch was green, the shower curtain was green.

"Yeah, each floor has its own colour sceme. It's so they can tell which rooms objects came from. See, because the pillows on the bed are green, they know it came from the top floor because no other floor allows green pillows. The top floor, this one is yellow and green-"

"Duh..."

"The third floor, Roger and Mark, is Pink and Purple-"

Collins burst into laughter, "I bet they're loving that!"

"And Joanne, Maureen and Mimi are on the second floor, which is... blue and orange."

Collins was still laughing while Angel lay her head back down on the billow and drifted to sleep.

XXXX

"Mark! Get your ass in here and look at the fucking colour of this room!" Roger swore, standing in the kitchen of the suite, "Seriously... this is sickening."

Mark walked in with his suitcase a minute later, "Wow... it's so... pink."

"Exactly... It's pink. What the hell is this? We're two guys in a pink room."

Mark raised his eyebrows when he saw the bedroom, "I believe it's pink and purple. the bedcovers are purple."

"This is just brilliant... Can we swap with the girls?"

"I doubt it... Angel said she'd booked a suprise for Joannes birthday tomorrow."

"Well, I'm calling their room."

Roger found the phone and tried desperately to translate the instructions on calling another room, "Mark... It's in french." Mark walked into the room and snatched the instruction sheet out of rogers hands. His eyes darted over the words and he marvelled at his memory, "It says you have to dial double 2, then the room number of the person you want to call."

"You read french?"

"A bit," He turned over the paper, "It's in english on the other side by the way."

Roger swore and dialled 22203.

Mimi picked up, "Hello? I mean... Bonjour?" She said.

"Its me."

"Hi Baby, what's up?"

"Well,. is there any chance that we could swap rooms? This one is pink and Purple and its creeping me out."

"I, on the other hand have no problem with it." Mark called out from the bathroom.

Mimi laughed, "Hi Mark! And sorry Rog, no chance in heck are we switching rooms. Angel booked all this cool stuff in our room as a suprise for Jos birthday."

"What kinda stuff?"

"Theres a masseuse here, and she got them to put a nintendo in here... and we each have a king bed to ourselves."

Roger peeped around the corner at his own, very narrow bed, "Fuck."

Mimi giggled, "Well It's my turn with the masseuse. Talk to you at dinner baby." She hung up and went into the bedroom where the masseuse had been waiting when they arrived.

"Hey..." Mimi said, taking off her clothing and covering up with a towel. She left her underwear on. Joanne whistled and said, "Go Mimi!" Mimi flipped her off and lay face down on the table.

"Hello..." The masseuse said, "I'm Cecile."

"Hi, I'm Mimi."

"So you are all from New York?" She begun to massage Mimis shoulders. Mimi sighed and could only nod blissfully.

XXXX

_So... Please review! By the way, if anyones interested in seeing some photos of my trip, I have some posted on my DA Account. If you wanna see them, tell me in your review and I'll put the link with my next chapter._


	21. C'est La Vie: Part Two

**Chapter 21 - C'est La Vie**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rent.**

_So, past the 20 chapter mark... I'm sort of proud of this fic... I did have a completely different outline for it, but that got thrown in the bin a few months back :P So... I've decided that the bohemians are going to go to every continent, excepting perhaps, antarctica. If theres any landmarks in any country that you want them to see, just tell me and I'll add them in somewhere. Oh, and do you think I should change the title? I don't think it really fits the story anymore because it isn't focusing on Angel anymore, even though she's my favourite character and she'll probably appear most. So review and tell me if you want me to change the title, even a suggestion? Anyways, You don't want ranting from me... _

XXXX

"Joanne!" Angel banged on the door as hard as she could, "Joanne!" She stamped her foot, "Joanne!" She screeched shrilly.

"Taisez-Vous!" A man had poked his head out of his room to see what was going on. Angel glared at him and said, "No... Taisez-You." The man shook his head and shut his door. Angel resumed her knocking on the door, "Joanne!" Finally, Joanne opened the door. Angel smiled widely, "Happy Birthday!" She said loudly, pulling Joanne into a bone crunching hug, "Twenty Five! Wow!" Angel let her go and shoved a package into Joannes hands, "I had to bring it in my suitcase all the way from New York, Oh well, that gives me room to do shopping while we're here. I really hope you like it. I had no idea what to buy you!" Joanne hadn't said a word yet. She rubbed at her eyes, trying to get them to focus on the already dressed, already caffeinated drag queen standing before her. She ran a hand through her unruly hair and blinked a few times, "Angel... its six in the morning..."

"I know, I couldn't sleep..."

"That doesn't mean that nobody else could!" Mimis voice rang from her room. She threw her pillow at the door. It bounced lamely once in to the hallway.

"Well I wanted to give you your present... Open it!" Angel urged Joanne.

"I'm going to go back to bed, then at ten, when we're meeting in the restaurant downstairs, I'll open all of the presents at once." Joanne sighed and rubbed her eyes again before setting the package on the table in the hall and walking slowly back to her room where she collapsed on the bed next to Maureen. She heard the front door click shut and sighed, burying her head in the pillow. Maureen rolled over and slung her arm over Joannes back, "Happy Birthday, Pookie." She mumbled in her state of semi-consiousness, "I love you..." Joanne smiled and turned over. "I love you too Maureen."

XXXX

Mark woke up at eight that morning. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. He was in Paris. He was in Paris. He hardly dared to believe it. He had a share in one million dollars to spend. He was in Paris with a share in one million dollars. Wow. He blinked and swung his legs out of bed. He stood and turned to look out of the window. The eiffel tower stood tall above the city. It was but an inky blot on the grey sky, but it was still recognisable, even to an untravelled ignoramus like Mark. He dressed and decided to see if any of the others were awake. He looked at the phone. he dialled 22403.

The phone rung a few times before there was a click, then another click.

"Hello?" Mark said.

The phone beeped at him. Either Angel or Collins had hung up on him.

He dialled again and the same thing happened.

He dialled again and finally something happened, "What the fuck do you want Mark?" Collins said irritably into the phone. He sounded slightly out of breath and more than slightly pissed off.

"I-I just wanted to see if you two were awake..."

"Well we were... and we were having a nice time enjoying each others company before you interrupted us."

"Thats an image I'd rather not remember..."

"MARK! What the hell do you want?"

"Uh... do you want to go for a walk... something fun... I mean, we're in Paris!"

"The city of love Mark... just because you're not getting any, its no reason to stop other people... Now if you don't mind, I'm going back to Angel so she can finish what she started." He hung up. Mark put the phone back in the cradle and laughed. He decided to try Rogers room to see if he was awake.

He went into the hall and knocked on the door. There was a groan, "Mark, fuck off..."

Mark raised his eyebrows and knocked again. Again there was a groan and Roger mumbled something incoherent.

"Roger! Wake up!" He said loudly.

"What the hell do you want?" Roger yelled, his voice hoarse with sleep.

"I'm awake."

"Good for you... I don't want to be awake."

"But Roger! We're in Paris! Can't se do something fun?"

"What? They don't sleep in Paris? I'm going back to sleep... we'll do something fun later... climb the Eiffel Tower or something." Mark heard him stifle a yawn and put the pillow over his head. He rolled his eyes and smirked. He decided to go for a walk. He put on his scarf and coat and scrawled a note on a piece of paper and stuck it to the faucet, knowing that the first thing Roger would do upon getting up would be to have a shower. He took one look at the apartment and left.

XXXX

"Wheres Mark?"Collins said, chewing on a mouthful of toast thoughtfully.

"I dunno... I think he said he was going for a wwalk or something... didn't you say thats what he said when he called?" Angel said.

"Oh yeah! Thats right! He left a note on the faucet on the shower!"

"Smart boy, that Mark... he knows your routine better than he knows his own."

"I don't have a routine!" Mark said, walking up behind Collins. To everyones surprise, he held the hand of a very beautiful girl. Bright blue eyes shone out of deep set eyes and her face was framed by bright red hair. She smiled shyly, "Everyone, this is Sylvie..."

"Hello..." Sylvie whispered, lifting a hand.

"How is it that you can't manage to pick up back home, but you pick up in a country where you don't even speak the language?" Collins said, draping his arm around Angels shoulders. She giggled and raised her eyebrows.

"I can speak a bit of French..." Mark said defensively.

"I didn't hear you..." Sylvie said innocently, quirking an eyebrow. Maureen smiled and looked at Joanne, mouthing, 'I like her'.

Mark scowled and Sylvie tapped him on the nose, "I think my english is twice as good as Marks french..."

The bohemians nodded.

"Anyway, I started speaking to Mark at a cafe this morning. He has told me that you are from New York... Are you looking for a... guide?" She said, smiling awkwardly.

"Sure... I think that'd be cool... to see Paris with a real Parisian." Mimi said. Roger nodded, Collins Nodded, Angel nodded, Joanne nodded, Maureen nodded. Mark shrugged, "General consensus says we'd love to have you take us on a tour..."

"Tres Bien! After breakfast, we will go?" Sha said, clapping her hands.

Mark and Sylvie sat down and drunk coffee, they'd already eaten. They found her accent adorable. Maureen kept trying to get her to say things, completely pointless things until eventually, Mark stopped her. Sylive had been living in Paris for eight years, since she was fourteen. She said she knew the city so well, she could find any place you wanted her to with her eyes shut.

"Lets go!" Collins said, finishing his coffee and standing up. Slyvie led them to a minibus and the others gasped, "Did you pick her just for the minibus?" Joanne said.

"No... we went to her grandmothers place to pick it up." Mark replied, looking pleased with himself.

They all loaded into the bus and they took off into the mad traffic of Paris. They'd been driving for about ten minutes when they reached the Arc de Triomphe. The round about was packed ("As usual" So Sylvie told them.) and there were alot of crazy drivers out on that fine morning. Roger watched in disbelief as a car cut acros in front of them and about four other cars at the same time. They soon found out that Sylvie had a temper like a time-bomb.

"Je ne peux pas croire la circulation aujourd'hui! VOUS N'AVEZ PAS APPRIS CONDUIRE ? Vous savez ... ses gens comme ceux-ci qui ne devraient pas avoir un permis de chauffeurs." She ranted in french. Everyone but Angel looked stumped.

"Je sais! Il y ressemble à New York aussi! Bien que je ne conduise pas, les gens stupides dans les voitures ont essayé de me tuer!"_ I know! It is like this in New York too! Even though I don't drive, stupid people in cars have tried to kill me_! Angel replied angrily in almost perfect french. Collins stared at her in utter disbelief, "I did not know that you spoke french."

"Yeah, I learnt it in school... I took extra classes too, for about six years."

"You speak English... you speak french, you speak spanish... is there any language you can't speak?" Roger said, leaning over the seat to talk to Collins and Angel.

"I speak a tiny bit of dutch, ooh! German, I speak german... a little. Thats it..."

"Why so many?" Maureen said from the back seat where she was staring a guys in cars beside the bus.

"I don't know... I've always loved languages..."

They drove around the Arc de Triomphe about six times. The bohemians looked up at in in awe. "It's so beautiful... So... intricate!" Joanne marvelled. The rest nodded their heads in agreement.

"We are ready to go?" Sylvie said, smiling, "Its very difficult to get to on foot through all of the traffic... so I think that we see it maybe later?"

"Sure..."

They finally were able to leave all of the busyness of the first attraction and drove for a while until there was a sqeal from Maureen. All of the others had been talking and she was the frist to notice that they were close enough to the Eiffel tower to see the details. The line of people underneath waiting to go up, the orange spot that was the elevator taking people up to the top, the illegal street vendors selling ridiculously overpriced souvenirs that everyone was fully intending to buy. They all rushed to the other side of the bus, pressing their faces against the window.

"It's so pretty!" Mimi whispered.

"Its... wow." Angel said, looking over at Collins, who just smiled and nodded. They parked the car as close as they could get to the attraction, which was about a ten minute walk away. They didn't mind, in fact, they did it with not one complaint from anyone. Not even Maureen. After the ten minute walk, on their right was an opening between two buildings. Again, it was Maureen who was the first to see it. She looked over and her jaw dropped. She loved the colour, she loved the people, she loved the shape, she loved the way it clashed with the sky; She loved everything about it. She turned to the others, "I love it! Lets go!" She grabbed Angels hand in her right hand and Collins hand in her left hand and dragged them down the steps and down the path that led to the street. They almost got hit by a man on a motorbike and Angel swore in spanish. They crossed the bridge and joined the queue to climb it.

"You can take the stairs... or you can take the elevator..." Sylvie said.

"Stairs!" Maureen, Collins, Mimi and Mark said.

"No, Elevator!" Angel, Roger, Sylvie and Joanne said.

"How about you four take thee stairs and we'll wait in the line, see who gets there first." Roger said.

"I think they'll get to the top sooner..." Sylvie said, "The line isn't as long..."

"Well, lets make it interesting..." Collins speculated, "Lets say, if we get there first, you guys have to take the stairs down... and we get the lift, but if you get there first, we have to buy you guys lunch?"

"Deal!" Angel said, her competitive side showing.

The others stared at Angel and Collins in disbelief.

"Right! Team Collins! Time to start." He led Maureen, Mimi and Mark to the base and waved dramatically in the direction that they'd left the others.

"There has to be more than 100 people in that line..."

"Triple that and you're almost close!" Mimi said, rolling her eyes, "This is going to be simple!"

They climbed and climbed and didn't stop until everyone else in front of them did.

"Qu'est-ce qui Arrive?" _What's happening? _Mark said to the lady in front of them.

"Hay una muchacha allá arriba que se cayó y la gente dice que ella rompió su brazo ... o algo..." _Theres a girl up there who fell and people are saying she broke her arm... or something _The lady said in spanish. Angel smiled.

"Vamos a ser capaces de subir?" _Are we still going to be able to go up?_ Angel replied.

"Cuando el ascensor llega, ellos la bajarán en aquel ... entonces seremos capaces de seguir yendo... Espero..." _When the elevator arrives, they'll take her down in that... then we'll be able to keep going... I hope... _

"Yo también ... gracias..." _Me too... Thank you..._ Angel said, turning to Mark, Maureen and Collins, "She says theres a girl up the top who broke her arm and they have to wait to get her down in the elevator... Then we can keep going."

They waited. Collins begn to get impatient after a while, tapping his foot irritably. "I don't want to have to buy them lunch..."

"Why We have the money..." Maureen raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah... Money I could be spending on myself."

"You always were selfish, Collins."

"Shut it, Blondie." Collins shot back, "About time!" He added as the line begun to move.

XXXX

"Finallement!' Sylvie exclaimed as they finally got to the front of the line. The gate closed in front of them, "Non plus!" The attendant wagged her finger at them.

"Shit!" Roger cursed, "We're going to have to take the stairs down... I can tell..."

"Probably..." Angel said absentmindedly.

The elevator came back down a few minutes later, carrying only a little girl who was clutching her arm and wailing like a banshee and two people they all assumed to be her parents.

"Is she okay?" Joanne said to Sylvie.

"Little people often fall over on the stairs... and because the iron is so hard, theres nothing to cushion the fall... and they break bones."

Angel nodded and said, "Ooh look! They're letting us on!"

They got in the lift and Roger bit his lip, "Maybe we're going to get a free lunch after all."

XXXX

"Oh my god... I am so stupid, why did I say I'd do the stairs?" Maureen collapsed at the top and put a hand on her heaving chest.

"Jeez Maureen, it's not that bad..." Collins stepped over her and noticed Sylvie exiting the lift.

"hah! We won!" He said triumphantly, punching the air.

"No you didn't!" Angel stepped out behind Sylvie, followed by Joanne and Roger.

"I think it was even..." Mimi said.

"Me too..." Mark walked over to the edge of the railing, "Look at the view!"

The rest followed him, "C'est Magnifique!" Sylvie breathed, "It doesn't matter how many times I come here, it's still beautiful."

They could see everything, the whole city of Paris. They stood in awe for what seemed like hours.

"My mother told me that it wasn't as impressive as it looks in pictures..." Mimi whispered to Angel.

"So?" Angel whispered back.

"She lied."

There was another silence which Roger interrupted with, "So, lets say, team Roger takes the stairs down, Team Collins takes the lift and we all buy our own lunch?"

"I like it..." Maureen said, heading towards the lift, Joanne following, "Hey hey hey, Missy... You got to take the lift up... you stay over there with your own team."

Joanne stuck her tongue out at team Collins as they got in the lift with a german family.

"Sein schönes! Meine Familienliebe Paris mehr als jede andere Stadt in der Welt!" _It's beautiful! My family love Paris more than any other city in the world. _The father said, nodding enthusiastically. The bohemians in the lift nodded back, hoping he hadn't asked them a question.

XXXX

"Snails?" Collins said, "I don't even eat chicken."

"Come on baby!" Angel said, laying her head on Collins' shoulder.

Collins eyed the plate of snails with severe disgust. He took the tiny little fork which was laying ominously beside the plate and picked up the shell with the clamp that was provided. He shut his eyes tight and said a quick 'I'm sorry' to the family of the snail he was about to eat. He opened his eyes and pried the snail from the shell. He picked it up on the fork and shut his eyes again, placing the snail on his tongue. Hardly daring to chew, he swallowed. The others cheered, "That wasn't so hard now was it Collins?" Maureen said, thumping him on the back.

"Now its your turn." He said after draining Rogers beer.

"Whose turn?"

"All of yours!" Collins sat with his arms folded as the others all took a snail each in the little clamps. Mimi seemed to be trying to will hers not to taste bad and Angel was staring at it with the same expression that Collins had been. None of them were eating them so he decided to give them a bit of encouragement.

"Come on guys! On the count of three, One! Two! Three!" There was a silence as they all chewed. Mark was the first to swallow. He sat staring at Sylvie for a second before smiling, "You were right... it's good... It's really good."

The others all swallowed and wore expressions of varying dislike on their faces. Sylvie and Mark laughed.


	22. C'est La Vie: Part Three

**Chapter 22 – L'amour**

**Disclaimer – I do not own Rent. Would I really be writing fan fiction about it if I did? **

XXXX

Mark smiled shyly across the dinner table at Sylvie. She smiled back. He blushed. She poked her tongue out and he laughed.

"Oh God!" Maureen sighed, "Mark and Sylvie are making lovey faces across the table!" She whined.

"Shut up, Maureen! He didn't tease you when you used to do the same with Joanne!" Mimi said, finally tiring of Maureen's relentless teasing of Mark and Sylvie.

Maureen scowled.

Mark finished his desert and smacked his lips, "Well, I'm going to bed. I'm so –" He stifled a yawn, "Tired." He turned and walked around the table to kiss Sylvie on both cheeks, "Meet me in the hallway with the lifts ASAP." He whispered in her ear. She felt her face go hot, "See you all in the morning." He said before walking around the corner to the hall where all of the lifts were located. He leant against the wall.

XXXX

"Well, I'm done too!" Sylvie said and stood up. She begun in the same direction that Mark had gone.

Collins cast a significant look at Roger, who looked at Maureen, who looked at Mimi, who looked at Joanne, who looked at Angel.

"Is anyone going to mention that the door out of the hotel is that way?" Mimi pointed in the opposite direction that Sylvie had gone.

XXXX

Mark heard her coming about five seconds before she arrived. He could hear her shoes echoing on the marble floor in the lobby. She rounded the corner and broke into a jog. She ran into his open arms and pressed her lips to his. She pressed herself against him. He pulled away and smiled at her, "Come on… d'you wanna come up to my room?"

She nodded.

As the lift travelled up, Mark tried not to grin foolishly. They got out of the lift and Mark led her down the hallway and let them into the room. He kissed her tenderly and ran his hand through her hair. She led them into his room without breaking the kiss and they sat down on the bed. She broke the embrace and took off her scarf and coat, before removing his also. He smiled as she began to unbutton his shirt. He looked out of the window at the Eiffel tower, sparking in the night, and he sighed. It was going to be a nice night.

XXXX

Angel stormed down the hallway and to the door of Mark and Rogers room. The rest of them had been down at breakfast on time. Even Roger. O that was why she wanted to know why Mark wasn't on time. She'd made it perfectly clear before dinner that they were meeting at exactly 8.30 AM the next morning and now it was 9.10 and she was pissed off. Really pissed off.

She reached his door and took a deep breath to prepare her for the yelling she was about to do. She knocked. No answer. She knocked again and scowled when there was again, no answer.

"Mark!" She called, stamping her foot, "Mark! Open this fucking door or I'm going to kick it in!" She shouted. There was a click as the door unlocked and it swung open to reveal not Mark, but Sylvie and she was wearing very little. In face she was wearing one of Marks huge sweaters and that, it appeared, was all.

"Sylvie!" Angel gasped, grinning.

"Do you mind, we're trying to sleep."

"I don't blame you. It doesn't appear you got much sleeping done during the night." She gestured to Sylvie's face: Her mascara was smudged, her hair was a mess and her lipstick from the previous day was no longer only on her lips, but on her chin and cheeks as well.

Mark appeared behind Sylvie, and snaked an arm around her waist, He wore slightly more than she did, but not by much. "Hi Angel. Is there a problem?"

"Only that you're forty minutes LATE!" She said.

"Oh my -! Shit! We are!"

"Well, we were going to take the metro. We're going to the catacombs and the Louvre and all those fun places today."

"Oh no! Don't do that! The catacombs are my favourite place in Paris!" Sylvie said, "Wait ten minutes, we'll be down and I'll take you in the bus…"

She shut the door and Angel went downstairs to where the rest were drinking coffee, waiting for Mark and Sylvie.

"They're going to be down in a minute." Angel grinned.

"Why you grinning like that, Ang?" Collins said.

"Oh, no reason." She continued to grin.

"You're not getting away that easy." Finally Collins began to understand, "Are you saying that… Mark got laid?"

Angel shrugged.

"Oh shit! You are saying that Mark got laid!" Roger said.

Angel nodded.

"Remind me never to tell you any secrets!" Mark said from behind Angel.

Angel grinned and turned to look at him, "I just think it's cute!"

Sylvie grinned and put her arm around Marks shoulders, "I think he's cute too!"

XXXX

They arrived at the catacombs about fifteen minutes after they'd planned to and Mark was frantic. He hated it when things weren't going to schedule, which was slightly hypocritical of him considering how late he was to breakfast. They joined the fast growing queue and Mimi began to look over the pamphlet they'd gotten at the airport in Paris.

"The Catacombs of Paris is a famous burial place in Paris, France. It is a network of subterranean tunnels and rooms located in what were Roman-era limestone quarries. The quarries were converted into a mass tomb near the end of the 18th century. It is most widely known as "the catacombs", but the official title is "les carrières de Paris" or "the quarries of Paris"." Mimi read, "Oh man… now I'm scared…"

Joanne snatched the pamphlet out of her hands and began to read: "The use of the depleted quarries for the storage of bones was established in 1786 by the order of Monsieur Thiroux de Crosne, Lt. General of Police, and by Monsieur Guillaumont, Inspector general of quarries. At the time, the Les Halles district in the middle of the city was suffering from disease, due to contamination caused by improper burials and mass graves in churchyard cemeteries, especially the large Saint Innocents Cemetery. It was decided to discreetly remove the bones and place them in the abandoned quarries."

"So basically, this is just one big hole with a whole lot of old diseased bones in it?" Roger said.

"That's pretty much what I gathered too." Collins replied. They looked at each other, "Cool!" Angel rolled her eyes and dug around in her purse for the right money for them all. She finally got together 49€ and paid the man in the entrance building. He took the money and with a smile, pointed down a spiral staircase. They begun down, thinking it would only be a few stairs. After minutes of descent, Roger let out a moan and said, "What's with all of the stairs!"

"We're going to be 25 metres below Paris… you don't expect us to travel 25 metres in only a few stairs, you're either very naïve or really stupid." Angel said.

"I'd advise you that it's the latter." Mimi said, grinning at Roger.

Joanne was the first to reach the bottom, and having been counting the stairs, shouted out, "182!"

"What?" Collins stood beside her.

"There are 182 steps." She grinned.

"Oh my gosh! Pookie, you counted?" Maureen said, almost tripping as she reached the bottom, "I was too busy trying not to die."

Mimi and Angel followed Roger and Mark and they were speaking very fast in Spanish.

"¡Tan entonces le dije, 'No! ¡Le dije! ¡El ángel tiene a un novio' entonces él trató de venir en mí! Entonces lo golpeé." Mimi said, her hands moving at lightning speed like they always did when she spoke in Spanish to Angel in particular.

"¿Usted lo golpea? ¡Ay!, Mimi. Usted es tan medio. Usted no puede culpar a un tipo quererme. ¡Es sólo natural!" Angel licked her lips and winked at Collins, who was watching her.

"¡Ángel, saque su cabeza de su asno!"

"_So then I said to him, 'No! I told you! Angel has a boyfriend' then he tried to come onto me! So I hit him."_

"_You hit him? Aw, Mimi. You are so mean. You can't blame a guy for wanting me. It's only natural!"_

"_Angel, pull your head out of your ass!"_

They looked ahead of them. There seemed to be an abyss of black that lie ahead of them to traverse. Sylvie took the lead of the group and they followed.

XXXX

"When is it going to end?" Roger whined.

"is there ever a point in time where you are not whining." Angel closed her eyes and breathed out loudly.

"This is boring... when are we going to get to the end?" Maureen said.

They seemed to walk for hours through dark tunnels, in which the only light was from small lights built into the walls every twenty metres or so. Between times, it was darkness. Water dripped from the roof in places and made the floor wet. It smelt dank and unused, but in reality, thousands of people passed through it every day. Sylvie begun to shiver and Mark walked behind her with his arms around her shoulders to try to keep her warm. Finally they reached an opening and there were information boards around the walls of a large cavern. They walked around and read them all before stopping to look at a sign above a door, "Arrete! C'est ici l'empire de la mort."

"What does it mean?" Collins said.

"It says 'Stop! It is here the empire of the dead'." Angel replied, cutting Sylvie off.

"Creepy..." Mimi said.

They walked through the door, expecting more empty tunnels but when she saw what was inside, Maureen shrieked, "Ew! Theres bones in here!" She said in disgust.

"We read that in the pamphlet before we came in!" Joanne rolled her eyes and sighed irritably.

Mark and Sylvie walked ahead, having told the rest that they'd catch up later. Mark draped his arm over her shoulders and she let her head fall onto his shoulder.

"The great thing about this place is that even when I come here alone, once I'm down here, I never feel alone. I always have company." She smiled.

"That's sort of creepy... don't you think?"

She nodded.

They walked along and Sylvie translated the latin that was scattered throughout the intricate maze of passages. They walked along comfortably, and none of their silences were uncomfortable. Mark sighed.

"I don't want you to go." She said after a pause.

"I don't want to go either." Mark replied.

"You'll come back to visit me?"

"You're talking like I'm leaving tomorrow."

"You're leaving on Wednesday."

"That' not tomorrow."

"Its almost tomorrow."

"We still have four days together."

"That's not enough."

Mark sighed, "I know."

XXXX

"So... I have a favour ro ask you..." Angel said to Collins, who was fascinated by the latin writings on the tombs.

"Anything,my Angel." He said.

"Well..." She put her arm around his waist and he looked down at her, "When we go to england... I have an aunt who lives there with some of my cousins and the woman who raised me."

"Yes..."

"Well... I kind of want to go and visit them, but I don't want to go alone. Will you come with me?"

"And if I don't?"

"I'll ask Mimi... but she won't want to come. She doesn't like my aunt."

"Well... if I'm the only option, then I guess I have to go don't I?"

She smiled at him and squeezed him tightly. He put his arm around her shoulders and smiled down at her, "I love you, Angel."

"I love you too."

XXXX

Maureen was bored. She didn't want to be there. She wanted to be at the hotel in Paris, flirting with that cute maid she'd spotted across the dining room that morning. She wanted to be at the hotel watchig television. This place was dirty, creepy, and she didn't like it at all.

Joanne was pissed. She couldn't see why Maureen coun't jut try to enjoy the sights of Paris. She wanted her to just stop complaining and get over it. She was about ready to give up. She knew what Maureen had done. She knew what had happened when she went to the bathroom during breakfast and she didn't want to have to deal with that again.

XXXX

"Joanne's pissed." Mimi said.

"She is?" Roger replied.

"Yeah...just look at her." Mimi pointed at Joanne. Her arms were crossed and she walked stiffly and like she was deep in thought.

"Well... I'd probably be pissed too." Roger looked at Mimi, raising his eyebrows significantly.

"Why?"

"You saw what happened at breakfast."

"I did?"

"Of course. Everyone did. Don't you think that it was funny how Maureen leaves the table and goes to the bathroom and then a second later, that man in the room next door to yours gets up and goes in the same direction even though the mens are on the other side of the room?"

Mimis eyes widened, "No way..."

Roger shrugged.

"I hope not."


	23. Unravelling Begins

**Chapter 23 - **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rent.**

_Wow, Chapter 22. I never imagined this fic getting past a few chapters, but I'm glad it has, to be honest. I love writing it and I'm sort of embarrassed to say I love the reviews that go with it. You'll have to excuse me if this chapter is a little crazy, considering the fact that I haven't had the internet for about two weeks and I'm currently sitting in the kitchen on mums laptop singing old 80s pop songs at the top of my lungs while typing. :D_

XXXX

The bus sped along the speedway and Maureen was, as usual, bored. She walked up to the front of the bus and put a wad of gum in the bin, but Joanne knew that her actual intention was to check out the driver. She scowled and lowered her head slowly, trying not to monitor the expression on her girlfriends face. Maureen dropped down in the seat next ho her and adopted the same scowl that Joanne wore on her face. "He wasn't hot?" Joanne said bitterly, and not sensing the bitterness in Joanne's voice, replied, "Not only was he not hot, but he was _old…_" Joanne looked up as Maureen's face pulled into a strange expression of disgust.

Mimi stared stoically out the window, watching all of the animals in the countryside as they passed. She'd concluded that she liked cows, but Roger was thoroughly unimpressed by horses, judging by his expression, which she had studied extensively before resorting to staring out of the window. He was good to watch, especially when he didn't know he was being watched. When he didn't know he was being watched, she was able to avoid the attempts to stop her watching, like, "Mimi! Do you mind?" And "If you want to look at me that long, take a photo… it'll last longer!"

Mark sat staring out of the window, much the same as Mimi. He was thinking about Sylvie. In his opinion, it sucked that they lived on different continents, but that night in his hotel room, they'd agreed that they'd make a relationship work somehow. He didn't know how. He sure didn't have the money to go to France every time he wanted to see her and he was almost certain that she didn't have the money to go to New York whenever she wanted to see him. He sighed. The conundrum was going to be a difficult one to sort out. He adjusted his scarf. It was freezing on the bus.

Angel snuggled further into Collins' coat. She sighed contentedly and shut her eyes. The steady rocking of the bus was sort of soothing. She couldn't wait to get to England. She wanted to try to catch up with her aunt and her sister once they arrived. She wanted to take Collins to see her but she wasn't sure about how her other family that lived with her aunt would react to their relationship. She wanted them to meet Collins so much and she wanted them to be happy for her.

The bus sped along the speedway and Angel worried.

XXXX

It was windy and the boat was rocking violently; Roger was beginning to think that he shouldn't have eaten that burger when they were waiting to leave the port. He rushed over to the side of the boat and retched, cursing himself. Mark came over and put a hand on his back, "Seasick?"

Roger nodded, shutting his eyes and trying to ignore the feeling in his stomach. He wasn't going to be sick; he wasn't going to be sick. Yes, He was… He leant over the railing. Mark just chuckled and left the thoroughly ill Roger to walk over to Mimi, who was sitting talking to Maureen. He seized her by the arm and pulled her up, "I have to talk to you."

Mimi followed Mark over to the other side of the ferry to Roger and leant on the rail. She raised her eyebrows at him, "What do you want?"

"Do you know what Maureen did?"

"She was just telling me."

"She cheated on Joanne."

"Sh!" Mimi shushed him and lowered her voice, "Yeah, I know she did. With the guy next door to our room. She didn't mean it!"

Mark scoffed.

"Its true. She said that he came onto her."

"how many times have we heard that one before?"

"This time it's true though… I think" Mimi lowered her gaze uncertainly.

"How can you say that?" Mark said, "Look how upset Joanne is!" He looked over at Joanne who was sitting on a bench in a corner with her head down and her knees pulled up to her chest.

"I know… I'll go and tell Maureen to talk to her about it." Mimi walked over to Maureen and put her hand on her shoulder, "Go and talk to her, Mo."

"But she hates me." Maureen put on her sad face and looked up at Mimi.

"You know that that face doesn't work on me… You're going over there to talk to her even if I have to drag you over there."

Maureen sighed and got up, trying to balance on the rocking ship as she walked over to Joanne. She sat down beside the other woman and was silent.

"Maureen, I can't talk to you right now." Joanne said; her voice quiet over the howling wind.

"Come on Pookie!" Maureen said.

"Don't 'Pookie' me, Maureen! You cheated and I don't think I can be in this relationship anymore."

"Who said I cheated."

"I'm not stupid Maureen."

"You're acting it right now!"

"I am not." Joanne turned to face Maureen, "You are honestly trying to tell me that when you got up to go to the bathroom, that man who followed you into the ladies, when the men's were across the room, it was just a coincidence."

"Of course not… You're too intelligent to fool like that."

"Then what are you trying to tell me happened."

"You have to let me talk…alright?" She said, "No interrupting?"

"Alright."

"Well… I was coming out of my hotel room on Wednesday night to go and ask the room service people for another towel because I got tanner on ours, remember? Well as I left, there was a guy going into his room and he looked at me and smiled. He was sort of cute… well he was really hot so I walked over to him and he pressed me against the wall and I told him, 'I have a girlfriend,' but he just laughed and tried to get me to come into his room. I went."

"You went?!" Joanne said, raising his eyebrows.

"You promised! Well, I really didn't realise what he wanted. So I went and he tried to kiss me and I walked away. Then at breakfast the next morning, he was there and so I ran away to the bathrooms. He followed me and, y'know, like I said, he was kind of cute. So when he made a move, I thought, screw it."

"Did you… well, you know?" Joanne said, looking out over the ocean.

Maureen nodded.

Joanne stood and walked over to Mimi, leaving Maureen.

"I should just jump overboard… I'll jump from the highest deck and no one will ever see me again." She said glumly.

"You'll do no such thing." Mimi said, putting her arms around Joanne's waist and put her head on her shoulder, "We all love you, Joanne, and so does Maureen, whether she realises it or not."

"If she loves me so much, then why does she keep cheating on me?"

"Because she knows that you love her so much that you'll never leave her."

"That's not love. That's me being a doormat. I let her walk all over me!"

"You're right. So leave her."

"I can't do that."

"Doormat."

Joanne sighed heavily, "You're right."

"I know."

"I'm going to leave her."

"No you won't."

"Yes I will!"

"You won't. You never do."

"This time I will… I'll break up with her."

"Good!" Mimi pushed her towards Maureen, "Now go!"

Joanne stormed over to Maureen and stood strong and tall, "Maureen, I can't do this anymore."

"Please Pookie; I'll never do it again."

"No, Maureen. Every time you cheat, you tell me you'll never do it again, but you always do!"

"So what, Joanne?" Maureen stood too, becoming angry.

"So, I can't do it anymore!"

"What are you going to do about it?" Maureen put her hand on her hip and snapped her gum.

"I'm breaking up with you."

"No, you're not. You never do… well, you do; you always come back for more."

"Not this time. It's over for good."

"Then I can't be on this trip with you." She scowled, "I'm going to go home."

"Good."

"Oh no you don't! You're trying to use reverse psychology on me."

"No I wasn't."

"Either way. I'm staying."

"So am I."

"Good."

"Good."

Maureen blinked and walked away.

XXXX

"This place is amazing!" Angel said with a gasp. The England hotel was by far the most expensive that they'd booked to stay in, just to treat them further. They looked around the lobby. The roof seemed to reach to the sky and hanging on the walls were portraits of all of the famous people who'd stayed at the hotel.

The receptionist looked at them with a mixture of interest and discontent, "Can I help you?" She said, looking at Angels outfit: a black skirt, yellow top, leopard print tights and impossibly high heels.

"Yeah, we have a reservation?" Angel said, approaching the desk.

"Sure, under what name?" the receptionists accent was decidedly pompous and Collins tried to hide his laughter behind his hand.

"Schunard?"

"Oh yes… here we go…" She pressed some keys on the computer and nodded, "Reservation for seven, three rooms?"

"That's right."

"Okay, you are in rooms 506, 507 and 508." She got the cards to unlock the doors off a shelf marked 500-600. She handed it to Angel who handed one to Mimi, one to Collins and one to Mark.

"Thank you." Angel said to the woman, smiling.

They walked over to the lifts and put their suitcases in one, deciding to send Collins up with them. The rest followed in the next lift. They found the hallway with the rooms and stood outside the three doors.

"Now, considering… recent events, I've decided to put Joanne in your room Mark. Considering your history with her, I thought putting you with Maureen would be a bad idea. Rogers is with you too." She gestured to room 506. Roger took the card from Mark and swiped it. There was a click and the door unlocked. Mark and Joanne followed him inside.

"Now… room 508… Me and Collins." She smiled at him and he grinned back.

"Room 510… Mimi and Maureen." Mimi widened her eyes at Angel and grabbed her arm as hard and with as much force as she could muster. She dragged her over to the end of the hallway.

"Usted me pone con ella?" _You put me with her?_ Mimi said angrily.

"Sí le puse con ella. ¿Con quién más iba yo a ponerle?" _Yes I put you with her. Who else was I going to put you with?_

"Y usted? ¡Yo podría haberme quedado con usted!" _How about you? I could have stayed with you! _

"Pero quiero ser con Collins!" But _I want to be with Collins!_

"No me preocupo lo que usted quiere!" I _don't care what you want!_

"Ah usted no hace?" _Oh you don't?_

"No! No hago." _No! I don't_

"Usted es un amigo tan bueno Mimi!" You _are such a good friend Mimi._

"Vez pasada que comprobé, usted realmente pensó tan!" _Last time I checked, you actually thought so! _ "Fine, I'll stay with her, but next country, I better get to stay with someone who didn't hurt one of my other best friends."

"Thank you… Thank you! I promise that in the next country you can share a room with either me or Roger."

"Good… and don't you expect me to be nice to her… don't think that I'll even be civil."

Angel rolled her eyes and walked back to Collins, who'd been watching the whole conversation.

"What was that about?" He said.

"Mimi's pissed because I put her with Maureen."

"I'll go with her if you like?"

"No!" Angel stood up straighter, "no…"

"Why not?" Collins raised his eyebrows and smirked.

"Because I want you with me."

Collins smiled and they went into the room.

XXXX

"So this place is nice huh?" Maureen said. Mimi was putting her clothes in the wardrobe. She nodded.

"Are you alright, Meems?"

"Fine."

"Cool." Maureen went back to reading her magazine. Mimi cleared her throat.

"Alright… what is with you?" Maureen threw the magazine across the room.

"You should know exactly what is 'with me'."

"You might be surprised that I don't know."

"Well I'll tell you... You hurt my friend."

"What?"

"You cheated on her… Joanne is one of my best friends!"

"I'm one of your best friends!"

"But you're the one who cheated!"

"Mimi… I didn't mean to…"

"But you did."

Maureen sighed and sat down on the bed. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at her feet, "I don't know what I can do to make it up to you."

"You can't." Mimi glared at Maureen one last time and walked out of the room. She walked down the hallway to Rogers room and knocked on the door. Joanne answered and hugged Mimi, "Hey you…"

"I had to get out of there… I can't stand Maureen."

"Can't st- Oh, Mimi…you're not mad at her because of me are you?"

"I can't even look at her without thinking about how upset you were."

"Mimi! Don't worry about me. If you want to talk to her, then talk to her."

"It's not that I don't want to… it's… I can't."

Joanne grinned and pulled her into another hug, "I'm so glad you're my friend." She said, pulling the shorter girl inside the room. Roger looked up and smiled as they walked in, "Meems!" He said, standing to kiss her gently on the lips. She smiled and wrapped her arms around herself, "Are you alright?" Roger said.

"I can't do it, Rog." Mimi said.

"Do what?" Roger took her into his arms and she buried her face in his coat.

"I can't sleep in the same room as her… I'll kill her while she sleeps or something…"

"Well… until we can get this all figured out… I guess you can sleep in my room tonight."

"Thanks Roger."

XXXX

"I can't believe you think you did nothing wrong!" Joanne said.

"I didn't do anything wrong! I can't believe you're being so smothering!" Maureen stood.

"Smothering! You're so… I can't…" Joanne began her sentences and couldn't seem to finish them.

"Speechless?"

"Never! You're a-"

"Wait a minute!" Mark said, putting his hands up.

"Yeah, you guys need to figure something out… Even if you have to go home…"

"I think I'm going to go home anyway… I have some stuff I need to figure out…" Joanne said, looking down and putting a hand to her forehead.

"And I can't stay if you're all mad at me for cheating on Joanne… So I'm going home too…"

The others stared as Maureen and Joanne left Angel and Collins' room to go to their own to pack.

XXXX

"Well…we'll see you when you get back?" Joanne said, hugging them all. She lingered in Collins' arms. He squeezed her tight to him, "Don't give her too much of a hard time on the plane, Miss Lawyer…"

"We have seats on opposite sides of the plane… I hope." She said, picking up her bag off the floor and heading to the gate, "I love you guys!" She said with a wave.

Maureen didn't talk to anyone, but just followed Joanne through the gate. The other bohemians watched them disappear around the corner. They waved as the plane took off. There was a long silence. Collins was the first to speak, "Seven becomes five…"


	24. Reunion

**Chapter 24 - Reunion**

**Disclaimer: Rent Not mine.**

_Hi! Again, assuming that anyone actually reads authors notes like I do, I'd like to say that I'm sorry about the really long gap between chapters again. Everytime I get to writing consistently with this story, stuff seems to happen that distracts me, or stops me writing. The next break will be around my exam time, but thats not for a while so I'm hoping I can set up some more plot points before then. I'm getting a bit stuck though with what can happen next... So anything you want to see, like always, tell me in a review. Anyway, you probably aren't reading this anyway... so on with the story!_

XXXX

Angel squinted, the harsh sunlight streaming in through the window hurting his eyes. He looked down. He lay trapped with Collins arms around his waist and Mimis head on his chest. They had talked for hours the night before. Angel had given the key to Maureen and Mimis room back to the receptionist and they hadn't been charged full price for the room. Angel had agreed to let Mimi stay with them in their room as repayment for making Mimi stay with Maureen. They hadn't fallen asleep until the early hours of the morning, when the sun had begun to cast light into their room. It was now eleven, according to Collins' watch, which had woken Angel up. It did absolutely nothing to wake Collins, who'd sleep through a cyclone and Mimi had just mumbled, 'Shut off the fucking beeping.' Angel grinned to himself.

"I guess it's up to me to wake them up..." He murmured to himself.

He ran a finger down Collins face. His nose twitched, but he slept on. She kissed him on the forhead and he grinned in his sleep. Angel laughed softly. "Collins..." He said in barely a whisper, knowing that Collins would awaken at the very sound of his voice. As he'd predicted, Collins mumbled something incoherent and sighed loudly before opening his eyes, "Shit..." he groaned, squinting.

"Hey baby..." Angel whispered, playing with a lock of Mimis hair, which was splayed out over his chest.

"Hi... Why am I awake?"

"Because it's eleven and you said you'd do something with me today..."

"I did?"

"Yeah... remember, we're going to visit my family."

"Oh yeah... we are..." He shut his eyes and seemed to come to a realisation, "Wait! We are?"

"You told me last night that we'd go today."

"Shit..."

"Collins..."

"I know... I know, we'll go. Do you have the address?"

Angel nodded, "It's not too far from here."

"We'll take a cab then..." Collins opened his eyes and smiled at Angel, "Only for you... You're lucky I love you so much."

"I know."

XXXX

They'd left Mimi asleep in the hotel with a note stuck to her forhead that read, "Gone out, be back whenever." They hoped that she wouldn't worry. They'd hailed a cab outside the hotel and chatted with the outrageously obnoxious cabbie to try to hide their nerves. They'd found the adress with no problem at all. They'd found Angels aunts name on the list of tenants in the apartment complex and climbed the stairs because the elevator was down. Now they stood at her door, Angel poised to knock on the door. Her hand shook and Collins stroked the black hair that cascaded down her back comfortingly.

"Come on... You need to do this." Collins said into her ear.

"I know..." She said and knocked. There was a shuffling from inside and a click before a throaty female voice said, "Who's there?"

"It's Angel... Your nei- I mean, your nephew."

There was a murmur of voices inside and the door opened a crack, "It's you Angelo?"

"Yes... it's me."

"But... you're wearing the clothing of a woman."

"I know that, aunt Lottie."

"And who is this?" She nodded her head in Collins' direction.

"My friend, Collins."

Collins was about to object that he was more than a friend last time he checked, but Angel moved her stillettoed foot dangerously close to his foot and he shut up, for fear of recieving a stilletto heel through his shoe.

"Ah, well... Would you like to come in?" The spanish looking woman said, opening the door a little further, "The rest of your family are eager to see you..."

"They are? Well, I guess I'll come in."

Collins followed Angel into the small apartment. There was what seemed to Collins like hundreds of people inside. Sitting on couches, on the floor, standing in doorways and watching television. They all stared as he and Angel passed.

"I have someone here who I think you want to see..." Lottie said.

"Who?" Angel said, grinning at a cousin she recognised.

"Your mama!"

"What?" A look of wild panic crossed Angels face and her eyes widened, "I thought she lived in New York with Papa?"

"She's not with your papa anymore!"

Angel smiled and followed Lottie into the kitchen where the three of them sat at the kitchen table, "She's in the shower... she should be here soon." Lottie said, "Since when have you dressed as a woman?"

"A few years... I would have thought that you'd have a problem with it."

"No... why would I? If you're comfortable with yourself, then I don't have a problem..."

Angel smiled. He didn't notice a beautiful young woman enter the room. She walked up behind Angel and covered his eyes. Angel shrieked and the girl walked around the table to look at Angel.

"Annabella! You look incredible!" She said.

Angels face dropped and she looked around the room. Her eyes filled with tears and she sighed sadly.

"I'm not Annabella, Cicily. I'm Angelo." Angel said and pulled the wig from his head.

"Oh... Wow. Hey Angelo."

"It's Angel." Collins said.

"What?"

"My name is Angel now." Angel said, looking at Collins with a grin.

"Well, that figures."

Another woman came out of a room followed by a cloud of steam. She was only in her late thirties, Collins assumed, but she was still very beautiful. She had a thin face which was framed by curly black hair, almost the same as the wig that Angel was replacing on her head. Her eyes were so dark that they were almost black and she had the longest eyelashes he'd ever seen in his life. She smiled and hey eyes lit up when she saw Angel.

"Angelo!" She said in a thick spanish accent.

"Mama!" Angel cried and stood. She ran into her arms and she lifted her off the ground in a crushing hug. Collins smiled.

She set her mother down on the ground again and she reached up to touch her cheek, "Oh, my Angelo..."

"You don't think I'm Anna?"

"Of course not... I could always tell my angels apart. You are so beautiful."

"Thank you, Mama." Angel sat back down and his mother sat across the table from Collins.

"And who is this?" She said, smiling widely at Collins.

"This, Mama, is my man... Tom Collins."

"Your man, huh?" She said, "I'm Julieta."

Collins smiled and Julieta turned back to her son.

"So, how is Annabella?"

Angel sighed and stared at her hands, "Mama, Annabellas dead." Cicily ran from the room and Angel didn't even look up.

Julieta gasped dramatically and covered her mouth with her hands.

"When?"

"A few years back... I didn't want to tell you because you were with Papa, and I didn't want to see him..."

"I know, Baby... He's gone now."

"No... He's not," Angel looked up, "I blackmailed him... for money to go on a trip with my friends."

"How did you blackmail him?"

"I dressed up as Anna, and threatened to tell the police what he did to us..."

Julieta smiled, "That's brilliant!"

"You think so?"

"I do..."

"Mama, I'm proud of you... for getting away from him."

"He stopped hitting me after you and Anna left."

"He did?"

"Yes, but I couldn't stay, I kept thinking about what he used to do to you and Anna, so I ran here."

"He's gone."

XXXX

"That went well, don't you think?" Angel said, taking Collins hand in her own and lacing her fingers with his.

"I guess so... Your mother didn't seem too upset that Annabella is dead though..." Collins replied with uncharacteristic bluntness.

"She expected one of us to end up dead... She always used to tell us, 'New York is the city of sin. If you go there, you will end up dead before you're twenty-five.' I guess she just... expected it."

Collins nodded and they noted that they'd reached the hotel.

XXXX

The others looked up as they approached the table. Mimi nodded at Angel, who nodded back and Angel gestured with his head to her. Mimi stood and Collins took her seat. Mimi ran to Angel and hugged her tightly, "Wanna walk?"

"Yeah... theres someone who wants to see you." Angel grinned mischeviously and pulled Mimi by the wrist out of the door. Mimi scowled and wrenched her wrist from Angels grip, "I hadn't finished my food."

"There'll be plenty food where we're going." Angel hailed a cab and one pulled up beside them. She told the cabbie the address and they sat in silence for a while, until Mimi spoke, "Is this the part where you kill me?" Angel laughed and shook her head, the black curls of her hair bouncing gracefully. Mimi noticed that Angel had a sparkle in her eye that she hadn't seen since Annabella had been alive. She looked beautiful, just like her sister.

The taxi pulled up in front of a building and both got out, Angel paying for the trip. Angel opened the door and held it for Mimi who walked in, but stopped to turn and look at Angel skeptically, "Where are you taking me?"

"Just follow." Angel begun up the stairs until they reached the fifth floor. Angel turned down a hallway and stopped at a door. Seemingly to Mimi, Angel knew exactly where they were and there was a reason. She knocked on the door and a voice with a spanish accent which reminded her of her mother told them to come in.

"Are you ready to see your second family?" Angel said. It was true. Angels family and especially the wide array of cousins and aunts had been like a second family to her for years. She'd attended every family function of Angels family from the time that they'd become friendsincluding weddings, birthdays, christenings and even funerals. Angel opened the door and they entered a nicely furnished apartment. She led Mimi down a passage way to the kitchen. There were four people sitting at the kitchen table.

"Julieta!" Mimi cried, smiling when Angels mother stood to hug her.

"Oh... My third daughter!" Julieta clung to Mimis shirt and buried her face in her shoulder, "How I have missed you!"

"Mama, let Mimi breathe!" Angel said.

Julieta released Mimi and held her out at arms length, "Ha sido demasiado largo, Mimi. ¿Por qué no me han visitado usted y el Ángel antes?" _It has been too long, Mimi. Why have you and Angel not visited me earlier?"_

"I'm sorry, Mama." Angel said quietly, "We were afraid of Papa."

"Well, he's gone now isn't he, so theres no use to dwell on the past, and most of all, to dwell on him!" Julieta beckoned them out onto the balcony of the apartment and Mimi gasped. There was a table absolutely laden with all of the spanish foods that she loved, like a dinner at the Schunard home. It brought about a flashback to when she was only nine years old. It was a family dinner. All of Angels family were there: aunts, uncles, cousins, random family friends. The smell was just like the smell caused by all of the food before her at the present. She smiled and took the wine glass being offered to her. Usually she hated wine, but having known Angels mother and family since she was eight made her sure that there would be more favourable alcohol after food.

XXXXX

"Mimi... We are so drunk..." Angel said as she let Mimi lean on her shoulder for support, "So drunk." She giggled stupidly, stumbing a bit herself.

"I know... I can't even stand up... what was your mother giving us?" Mimis words ran together, making Angel giggle more. She tried to steady herself to answer Mimis question, but she just burst out laughing again.

"I dunno... but it was strong..." Angel said, finally gathering enough composure to speak. They reached the hotel and made their way upstairs by some miracle. Angel managed to unlock the door to the room and they both went inside, trying unsucessfully to keep their voices down to avoid waking the presumedly sleeping Collins. Mimi went into the bedroom and leant over Collins, giggling softly, "Ang, he's so cute when he sleeps!"

"I'm not asleep." Collins said, sitting up. Mimi giggled some more and sat on the bed, taking off her shoes and her top, leaving her in a skirt and her bra. She walked more steadily into the bathroom without her heeled shoes and splashed water on her face. She came out of the bathroom more calm than she had been. She shook her head slightly to clear water from her eyes and swayed a bit.

"Where were you?" Collins said, laying back on his pillows.

"We went back to Julietas." Mimi went to her suitcase by the window and took out her pyjamas. She went back into the bathroom and changed her clothing.

"Where's Angel?" Collins called to Mimi.

"I think she went to check the phone messages." Mimi called back, pulling her shirt on over her head.

At that moment, Angel came back into the bedroom and smiled at Collins. She lay down next to him on the bed and began to play with his hair. He looked at her and scowled. Angels eyes widened, "Did I do something wrong?"

"Angel, you didn't tell anyone where you were going." He replied quietly, "You just left me and dragged Mimi away without telling anyone where you were going."

"So? You knew where we were going..."

"I didn't. I assumed. The others were worried sick."

"They know I can take care of myself."

"Thats not the point. I'm not angry." He smiled tenderly at her, "Can you just tell me where you're going next time you decide to run off at random."

"Deal..."

"Come on, you should put on your pyjamas and get to bed." He said, touching her face, "We have a big sigtseeing day tomorrow and yours and Mimis heads are going to be pounding in the morning."

"You know me better than that. You know that I don't get hung over."

"We'll see."


End file.
